Home Winterization, now is the time
With colder weather there are seasonal items that need to be addressed to prevent serious damage to your property. Some of these can be easy to overlook, especially when cold weather sneaks up on us earlier then expected. Somewhere around $100 of prevention could save you thousands of dollars down the road. Frozen pipes, flooding, under performing heating systems and general damages from ice are never something you want to deal with, especially when it’s freezing cold outside. Below are just a few easy to implement suggestions to help get your home ready for the season with a link to even more info.
1) Don’t forget to disconnect your hoses from the spouts around your home. Trapped water can cause serious issues; make sure that any hoses outside are disconnected as soon as possible.
2) Schedule to have your sprinklers blown out. Even when off, your sprinkler lines contain water which can freeze and split sprinkler lines. Any landscaping company will likely blow out the lines with a compressor for less than $30.
3) Clean those gutters! Leaves and dirt collect and clog gutters. Make sure that the gutters and downspouts are clear to control water run off. I just saw a hose attachment at Lowes for $25 to blast the gutters from the ground! Definitely beats climbing up on the roof.
4) Have your HVAC system inspected and cleaned. Be sure that you are replacing your furnace filters at least every 3 months to ensure operating efficiency and promote good indoor air quality. A new filter is white like fresh snowfall, after three months your filter is probably a dark gray (I know mine are). With energy costs on the rise having your furnace running at peak efficiency will save you $$.
You can get more information on good practices for winterizing your home at http://tinyurl.com/2o63ge
As an aside, it snowed here in Boise this afternoon. Apparently winter is just around the corner 
