How to maintain your home this winter

While it might feel a bit early to start thinking about winter home maintenance, you should be getting your checklist together as soon as possible. Having a plan sooner rather than later ensures you can call all the right professionals before the height of the busy season. Make sure you check these items off your winter home maintenance to-do list when you're able to.

Exterior Maintenance

Throughout the remainder of the fall, keep a close eye on your home's landscaping and general yard maintenance. Pay special attention to your gutters, where leaves can build up and cause blockage, eventually leading to dangerous amounts of standing water around your home. Similarly, ensure that any sprinkler systems are shut off before the first frost of the year. This will avoid frozen pipes and long-term damage to your home's plumbing.

Check For Drafts

As temperatures drop, any drafty windows or doors are likely to cause problems with heating your home. These can be difficult to notice during warmer months, but as the cool weather sets in, you'll notice certain areas that tend to be colder throughout your home. Check your windows to see which need to have small repairs to keep heat from escaping your home and which need to be fully replaced.

Clean Up Your Heating System

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 25% to 40% of the energy used for heating or cooling a home is wasted. This is partially because contaminants build up in the HVAC system, forcing it to work harder. Check your ducted heat pump, HVAC system, boiler, furnace, and other sources of heat throughout your home. These areas often go without maintenance most of the year, particularly ducted heat pumps, but keeping them clean will make heating your home this coming winter far more simple and efficient.

Winter might not be here quite yet, but that doesn't mean it's time to slack on your home maintenance. Early preparation for winter and creating a maintenance checklist can help you stay on track for taking care of your home. For more information about winter home maintenance tips, contact Green Savers today.

If you live in Central Oregon, you may want to check out our Bend heat pump page.