Owning a home is a great privilege and source of responsibility. Keeping your home in good condition means keeping it warm in the winter. If your house is warm, you will be much more comfortable. Your house will also be less likely to suffer myriad types of damage. From broken pipes to leaky roofs, neglecting to maintain your home once cold weather hits can seriously injure its integrity. There are a few steps you should take once autumn winds down to make it less likely that your home will freeze over and you will be uncomfortable. From cleaning out your rain gutters to finding a professional in residential heating in Sandy Springs, these easy preparations can make your winter go a lot smoother. Keep Your Rain Gutters Clean One of the first things you should do when autumn ends is to clean out your rain gutters. Rain gutters can fill with leaves, pine needles, and other debris. When you look at your gutters from below, you might not be able to tell the extent to which they are full. If you don't clean them before winter hits, any rain runoff will get trapped by the debris and freeze over. This can create a blockage that will increase the chances of water getting into your home's siding, which can seriously damage it. Ice can also create a situation where your rain gutters become heavy and wrench away from the wall. This is a hazard that could seriously injure a member of your household or a visitor. For these reasons, make sure to get a sturdy ladder and a helper, and clean out your rain gutters before the snow starts coming down. Always be careful when using ladders, and call a professional to do the job if you can't physically manage it. Check Your Insulation Your insulation matters. For one thing, if you don't have it, your furnace and other components of your HVAC system won't be very effective. Hot and cold air alike will escape, making it futile to try to keep the temperature inside managed. When you buy a new house, you should do an inspection to see whether your walls are insulated. If you forgot to do this at the get go, there's no time like the present! Take a flashlight and put on a shirt and pants with long sleeves. Check in some of the areas where it's less likely there is insulation, including any crawl spaces, the attic, or the basement. If you find spots that are lacking insulation, putting it in will do wonders to keep your home warm and easier to manage. There are different grades, depending on the temperatures you're dealing with, so do some research to find out which type is the best for your area. Think about New Windows Windows are another place where air can escape and your home can lose a lot of heat. Old windows are single-pane and may not be sealed well. Replacing your windows with newer, energy-efficient types can increase the warmth in your home and lower your bill payments. Check Your Furnace and Maintain It Before the winter gets in full swing, you should check your furnace and test your thermostat. If there is a significant difference between the temperature that is on the gauge of the thermostat and what you are actually feeling, it's a sign that you need your system checked out. Replacing filters on your furnace and calling in professionals in residential heating in Sandy Springs if you hear any banging or squealing noises when your furnace turns on can help prevent larger issues. When your furnace is first engaged after not being used, be especially vigilant for problems.
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