It’s just over a week until the official start of winter, and your house needs some love. You know how I know this? Because you are at least knee-deep in holiday planning, and ain’t nobody got time for winter home maintenance. Also, our inspectors have no shortage of work and evidence of people not up-to-date with their home maintenance to prove it.
Here are a few things you may want to take care of before the real winter weather gets started in North Texas.
Repair Plumbing Leaks
If you have leaky plumbing before a freeze, how do you think that’s gonna go during a freeze? Not good. If you have pipes under your sink that leak (or anywhere), get that plumber out now and seal up leaks before you have a bigger problem later. This homeowner already has some water damage to repair.
Maintain Your Water Heater
Did you know you’re supposed to test the TPR valve on your water heater once a year to make sure it’s working? That’s the handy device that keeps both the temperature and the pressure from getting too high on your water heater. In layman’s terms, it keeps it from going “boom.”
Over time, these devices can corrode, and manufacturers recommend replacing them every 3-5 years over your water heater’s 15- to 20-year lifespan. Thinking about taking a look at your water heater now, aren’t you? Because you might enjoy your hot water this winter, no?
Thermally Seal Your House For Cold Weather
No, this is not a scene from Outbreak. And we have to admit that while we’ve never seen anyone use radiant barrier insulation this way, it’s not technically wrong. Inconvenient, but not wrong.
Radiant barrier is a type of insulation that uses highly reflective material to seal your attic and reflect radiant heat while also reducing thermal loss. Normally you would see this enclosure at the ceiling attic access point where you unzip it to enter the space. Since this particular attic is accessed through a door, this ingenious homeowner seems to have found a super-sized entry access.
Another way you can protect against cold air entering your home is to check the seals on doors, windows, and any other exterior vents. Add elastomeric caulking or new door and window seals where you find broken seals. If you feel drafts or live in an older home, you might consider having a Home Energy Evaluation to get a comprehensive analysis of how your home is losing energy.
Check For Roof Leaks
We’ve established that #WinterisComing, and what you don’t want this winter is a leaky roof. Water damage is bad enough, but ice damage is worse, and that’s just the interior. Ice will do more damage to an already damaged roof than to a healthy roof.
During or just after a rain is a great time to check out your attic to see if you find any places where water is coming through, and take care of them now. (That doesn’t mean grab a bucket — call a roofer!) Remember this one?
I know it’s holiday rush time, but somehow, during these last few days before winter, try to remember to give your home a little love, too. You won’t regret it
