It’s no secret that Ohio winters are unpredictable. Be it blizzards, arctic temperatures, heavy winds, or freezing rain, you just can’t be certain what this season will bring. But that doesn’t mean your home maintenance has to be unpredictable. Here are five simple tasks you can tackle this winter to keep your home running efficiently and your energy usage low.
Check Insulation
A properly insulated home is vital in keeping temperatures regulated during the cold season. Insulation allows your central heating system to run less often and more efficiently, helping you keep the heat in your home, and your energy bill low. You can check for proper insulation easily by removing the covers on your wall outlets and looking inside the wall cavity. Additionally, a simple way to identify insulation issues is by using an infrared thermometer, which tells you the temperature inside your walls.
Maintain outdoor lighting
Outdoor lighting becomes vitally important in the winter, where most of the day is spent in darkness. Check that your outdoor lights are functional. You certainly don’t want to end up slipping on unseen ice just because a light was out!
Roof condition
Your roof is paramount to the overall wellbeing of your home. Large amounts of snow can collect on your roof, and during periods of melting, a faulty roof can cause unwanted leaks and water damage within your home. Be sure to check your roof for loose or missing shingles.
Reverse your ceiling fans
Undoubtedly the easiest task, reversing your ceiling fans to spin clockwise during the winter months keeps the warm air lower to the ground, assisting in the heating of your home.
Weatherproof windows and doors
Leaks from cracks in your window and door frames and seals can cause cold air to come into your home which will wreak havoc on your energy bill. Drafty windows and doors mean your furnace will be working a lot harder to keep your home warm. Make sure to seal up windows and doors with caulking or weatherproofing strips.
There is no shortage of home maintenance tasks that you can check off the list for the winter season, but doing any one of these can save you some headaches, and money, during this winter period. If you’d like reminders for your home maintenance tasks, you can sign up to receive NOPEC’s maintenance reminders now!
