Prepping For the Season Change

Fall is here; and winter is fast approaching! While it might not quite feel like fall here in South Carolina, now’s the perfect chance to take advantage of the last bit of heat to get out and make sure your home is ready for the upcoming weather changes. If last year’s pattern continues or forecasters’ predictions for this winter come true, the Palmetto State is in for a topsy-turvy few months. So save yourself the trouble later by prepping your house for every last curveball Mother Nature has up her sleeve. Here are a few tips that can save you money, time, and trouble this coming winter season.

One of the biggest things you can do that will have major impact this winter is sealing any cracks and gaps in your house. This will not only keep more heat in/cold out but also lower energy bills since there are less ways for heat to escape your house. Additionally, using weather stripping will act as a sealing for windows and doors. On average, if one added all the cracks and gaps in a typical home, the total area would equal that of your standard window!! Don’t take the chance and double check! You never know where those nooks and crannies are that will leak air. Some key areas to check are: windows, doors, outlets, external hookups to utilities (A/C, water heater), around sidings of your house, and any pipes that show (under your sink in bathrooms and kitchen.)

Check your roof for worn away/broken shingles. Any water (AKA SNOW OR RAIN!) that gets underneath the shingles runs the risk of causing a leak. In addition to creating a hole for heat to get out, a hole in your roof opens your house up to other issues difficult to address rather winter or not.

Some other tips involve trimming dead or low hanging branches. They will come down during a winter storm, so prevent the chance of them falling on something and get them out of the way now.  This can apply from everything to taming shrubbery all the way to removing a leaning/dead tree to prevent it falling and causing immense damage. Another less thought of measure you can take involves properly storing your lawnmower for the winter. Make sure to seal caps and openings tightly and remove the gas from the machine. This will help it start later on in the spring later. And did you know that fertilizing your lawn before the top layer goes dormant will allow it to store those nutrients for the whole winter, giving you a kick start on that green spring lawn?

Following these steps will give you a real advantage over the winter. Don’t go through these problems while your freeze; handle these things while you can still go outside without freezing solid! Your home is an investment you can’t afford to lose! So take the extra steps now to ensure your home can weather the storm!