7 Tips for Winter Preparation for Your Home

At this time of year, most people are planning their Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations. November is also a good month to prepare your home for winter.

One of the many advantages of living in Starhaven Villas is that the HOA takes care of winterizing the sprinkler system and they also will do snow removal from all the walks and driveways. Those are 2 big jobs that will not go on your “to-do” list.

You will want to ensure that your home is ready for the coming months of cold. Here are 7 tips for preparing your home for winter.

1. Check the HVAC System. Homes in Starhaven Villas have recently been built, but a regularly maintained system will endure far longer than one that is neglected. Make sure to change your furnace filter. Then have an HVAC professional come and do an assessment. This will give you peace of mind that you won’t have to suffer through a cold night if your furnace decides to stop working in the middle of the night.
2. Check the caulking on your windows. As new homes settle, as they naturally will do, caulking can pull away from the windows and doorways. Do a quick check to ensure that all windows and doors are sealed with caulking. This will reduce cold drafts.
3. Seal exterior concrete. Before the snow starts to fall, it is a good practice to seal the concrete outside. Concrete is porous and absorbs moisture. When water gets into concrete and then freezes, it can cause a condition called spalling where the surface of the concrete peels, breaks or chips away due to the thaw-freeze cycle. When you seal your concrete, you minimize the risk of spalling.
4. Clean your gutters. Starhaven Villas is a new community, and as such, our trees are just starting out. We don’t have trees big enough to cause a build up of leaves in the rain gutters. One day we will, so it is a good practice to check to ensure the rain gutters are free of debris so that water does not get trapped and freeze and cause damage to your home.
5. Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Scheduling a test of these vital safety features in your home will ensure that you are protected. It also ensures that you won’t be awakened at 3:00 in the morning to a beeping detector. Test them and change out the batteries.
6. Ensure your attic doesn’t become a Motel 6 for critters. When the weather becomes cold, birds and small animals look for shelter. Doing a visual inspection of your attic vents, soffits and facia will ensure that you don’t have any holes that will allow these creatures to make a home in your attic.
7. Cover your patio furniture. One of the favorite features of the homes in Starhaven Villas are the covered patios. There is ample space for your favorite patio furniture. Protecting that furniture from the elements will ensure longevity. Covering your patio furniture with waterproof covers will greatly protect them. Just be sure to wait until you have a series of warm, dry days so that moisture does not get trapped under the covers.

If you prepare your home for the winter, you can spend it in the warm, comfort inside, rather than having to brave the cold to correct a problem that could be avoided. Preparation is always the formula for peace of mind.