Here in the Tri-State area, our winters aren’t exactly Alaska-like. In fact, if you’ve re-located here from somewhere like Minnesota or North Dakota, you probably laugh your way through one of our winters, wondering out loud what everyone’s complaining about.
Well, when you consider that, in Westchester County, the average daily high is 36 degrees with a bone-chilling low of 22. That’s plenty cold enough to take steps in the fall so your home is ready for the winter that lies ahead.
- If you have deciduous trees on your property, or even if your neighbors do, be sure to clear your gutters and downspouts of all leaves, twigs, and other debris to help prevent ice dams from forming and later damaging your roof.
- Seal cracks in the driveway to prevent moisture from seeping in and, once the temperature dips below freezing, causing the cracks to widen.
- Check your window caulking and weather stripping around doors and windows for drafts – the kind that can and will let cold air in and warm air out. That’s a great way to reduce your heating costs and make things a little easier on your furnace or boiler.
- Inspect your home smoke and fire detectors by testing the batteries. No smoke detectors or not enough? Now’s the time to beef up your defenses.
- If you have water pipes in unheated areas of your home or garage, insulate them now to help prevent freezing, cracking, and resulting water damage.
- Check over the outside of your home. Inspect the roof, siding, foundation, and so on for areas that might need to be patched up or repaired.
- Protect your house against unwanted invaders. Mice, squirrels, and other critters are looking to escape the cold. They might decide that your place looks great. Make sure to close holes and block potential entrances to your home.
While this list is far from complete, it represents a very good start to preparing your home for winter. Here’s one more way to accomplish that goal, just for good measure: contact Air Professionals today for our heating system tune-up and inspection service. It’s the best way to ensure an uninterrupted supply of heat this winter while also helping to reduce utility costs and reducing the potential for system repairs.