Useful Steps When Getting Your Home Ready for Winter

As a homeowner, an important time to prep for is the winter, as these months are filled with cold days. In order to ensure your home is ready for these months, you can take these steps:

Inspect the Furnace

Keeping your home warm during the winter is important, which is possible when you regularly inspect and maintain the furnace.

In order to keep this device working at an optimal level, you need to check the air filter. If this part gets too dirty, your furnace has to work extra hard. This could then drive up your heating bills. If the air filter is covered in debris and it's not reusable, you will need to replace it with a new one.

Another important step for keeping the furnace working great is to inspect the pilot light. If this light isn't a blue color, you should contact a repair specialist. They will be able to service your furnace, so that it works great again.

Replace Damaged Weatherstrips

Having damaged weatherstrips in your home is not ideal, as this could create a draft. Then, warm air coming from the furnace could seep out and drive up your energy bills.

All of this can be avoided, though, if you regularly inspect weatherstrips. If these strips below your windows and doors are coming up, or have visible signs of damage, you need to replace them completely.

There are a lot of good replacements on the market today, but your best bet is to choose weatherstrips made out of vinyl. This material is weatherproof, so whether it rains or snows during the winter, your strips won't be prone to chipping and cracking.

Fill in Cracks in Your Home's Foundation

During the winter months, snow and water can collect against your home's foundation. This could cause water to get inside your home if there are cracks in the foundation.

Filling in these cracks doesn't have to be a stressful endeavor if you use concrete filler. This filler comes in the form of a liquid, making it easy to administer in the cracks. It's also temperature-resistant, which lets it hold up in extreme weather conditions.

Make sure to fill in all of the cracks completely with the filler, and give it a day to fully cure. Once it does, a watertight seal will form, preventing water from getting inside your home.

If you are getting your home ready for the winter, taking these steps is a good idea. They will help you ensure your home is ready for these colder months, so you don't have to stress as much. For assistance, talk to a furnace professional like Absolute Air.