Prepare Your Home for Winter

Have you prepared your house for the cold weather and year-end holiday season? Here is a friendly reminder and a To-Do List that I share with you every year:

1) Leaf sweeping and yard cleaning.

2) Gutter cleaning. If your gutter does not have gutter-guard, hire a handyman to clean the gutter after the leaves fall to ensure the gutter and down spouts are free of debris. This can prevent roof leaks after a snow storm or from heavy rain. Do not forget to remind the handyman to flush the downspouts and make sure the exit points of the downspouts are all clear, allowing the storm water to flow freely to the yard or drainage system.

3) Winterize the outdoor hose bibs. To do so, you need to first turn the valve off for outdoor hose, then turn the outdoor hose bib valve on to empty the water in the pipe. This will prevent water in the pipe freezing up and causing the pipe to bust, which could be a flood disaster.

4) When was the last time you had your clothes dryer vent cleaned? Excessive dust in the vent pipe not only can increase the time needed to dry the clothes, but also be a potential fire hazard.

5) If you plan to take an advantage of seasonal sales discount to purchase and plant a few young trees, please do so before the first day with frozen temperature. Otherwise, the frozen soil could hard the young roots of the trees. In case you get a snow day right after you plant a tree, don’t panic, just water the soil around the roots to allow the water to create a “shield” around the roots — I learned this from an experienced gardener who worked in a nursery farm.

6) Never turn the heat off in the house. If you will be away for vacation, I recommend that the room temperature should not be below 65F preferably 68F at all time If you own a rental property, please reach out to the tenant and make sure that they do the same if they plan to travel.

Thinking of buying or selling in 2022? Please feel free to contact me for a free consultation!

Wishing you and your family a safe and wonderful winter!