WINTER TIPS FOR HOMEOWNERS

It’s hard to believe that winter is just around the corner! Below are a few tips for winterizing your home. 

Home Care

• CLEAN YOUR GUTTERS – No matter how much you trim back your trees, some leaves get into the gutters and can cause a real problem when a clogged gutter becomes a frozen, heavy clog. To avoid damage to your roof and gutter, clean them out every Fall.

• FIND AND BLOCK DRAFTS – Even brand new homes have air drafts. Use door sweeps, window inserts, and Window Insulator Kits to keep the cold air out and the warm air in.

• CHECK YOUR INSULATION – Just as we lose most of your body heat through your head, it makes sense that you’re losing your house heat through the attic. Add insulation to protect against heat loss. There should be about a foot of insulation in the attic, so if you can see your 10 inch ceiling joists, it’s time to get more.

• HAVE YOUR HEATING SYSTEM SERVICED AND REPLACE AIR FILTERS REGULARLY – This may be an obvious one, but a smoothly running system heats your house using the least amount of energy, which is good for your wallet and for the environment.

• WRAP YOUR PIPES – Frozen pipes can burst and cost a fortune to replace and to clean up the damage. Find the pipes in the home that pass through unheated areas, like crawlspaces, and insulate them with foam rubber sleeves or fiberglass insulations. Shut off valves to outdoor faucets and then drain them of any excess water.

Trees / Shrubs Care

• TRIM THE TREES AROUND YOUR HOUSE – Snow and ice not only weigh on you house, they can also way down the 100 foot oak next to it. To prevent branches and other debris from crashing into your roof, gutters, or windows, trim back trees that hang over your home.

• REPLACE MULCH UNDER TREES AND FLOWER BEDS.  This step will insult them and reduce erosion.  Remove leaves to prevent disease in the spring

• BLOW OR REMOVE LEAVES.  Please remove leaves in the yard, along the street curb and in the street in front of your yard.  DO NOT blow leaves in the street storm drain because that kind of debris can lead to future drain and runoff problems.  

Lawn Care

• Continue to mow, edge and weed as needed, raising the mowing height.

• Apply a phosphorus-rich fertilizer mix in the fall to encourage root growth.  This will ensure your lawn turns green earlier in the spring.

• Collect and remove leaves from your lawn to ensure that the fallen leaves do not suffocate the grass and act as a breeding ground for lawn fungus.  

• Remove weeds, leaves, and small tree limbs from the curb and do not blow or rake leaves into the storm drains.