6 Home Maintenance Tasks You Should Complete Ahead of Winter To Save Money
Written by
Chris Adam
Edited by
Gary Dudak
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If you’re a homeowner, you should know about the importance of doing seasonal maintenance. Even if you don’t enjoy it, now is the time to look at those tasks you need to do before winter.
Some maintenance chores, such as testing your heating system and protecting your pipes, could save you from future problems and big bills. Here’s a look at six home maintenance tasks to do this fall.
Test Your Heating System
Do yourself a favor and test your heating system before you need it this winter. You can change your filters and make sure your furnace and thermostats are working well. Be sure to check around your water heater for any signs of problems.
You can save yourself big bucks by having a professional tackle minor issues before they become huge ones.
Prepare Your AC Unit for Winter
Speaking of big problems, you can avoid them with your AC unit by making sure it’s also ready for winter.
“If the outside temperature has dipped below 60 degrees, you shouldn’t turn on your air conditioning — doing so could damage your unit,” according to Nomad Lease. “Make sure you turn your thermostats to heat only — that way, if you want to reduce the temperature, you can let the outside weather do its job rather than turning your AC unit on.”
Look for Air Leaks
Make sure your money isn’t going right out the window this winter. Feel around those windows and doors to check for air leaks. They can easily crank up your energy bills when the warm air goes out on cold winter nights. You might need to replace some trim, use caulking on windows or improve the seal on some doors.
Check Your Chimney
Your chimney may also be a place for cold air leaks. Further, per the Consumer Product Safety Commision, chimneys, fireplaces and heating equipment are some of the biggest causes of home fires.
You should have chimneys and fireplaces serviced and inspected each year. “Make sure the inspector examines the condition of the chimney — brick periodically needs upkeep to prevent water from leaking in — as well as the cap, which keeps heat-seeking animals out,” noted Consumer Reports.
Shut Down Your Sprinkler System
If you don’t shut down your sprinkler system properly ahead of winter, you could end up with an expensive mess.
This means shutting down the entire system, not just turning off your sprinklers. Most sprinkler systems need the lines to be blown out so there’s no moisture left to freeze and cause problems. You could hire a professional or try doing this yourself — either way, it’s not too pricey.
Protect the Pipes
This home maintenance task for fall could possibly save you thousands of dollars. That’s because a burst pipe can lead to a huge bill. You can avoid this by using pipe insulation in places like under sinks, in attics and around basements.
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