4 Home Maintenance Tasks You Need to Tackle Now

You could say that November is a large-scale dress rehearsal for winter, so it’s wise to take the month to button up your home for the rough weather to come. Of course, life is keeping you busy, so we created a handy checklist of home maintenance tasks for you to follow!

Weatherproofing

Whether you love or dread the frosty winter temperatures, we all like to save money while staying comfortable in our home when the temperatures drop. Locate and seal cracks and spaces that let heat out and cold air in. Focus your efforts on baseboards, wall/ceiling junctures, windows and doors, lighting fixtures, switches, and electrical outlets. Your wallet will thank you, because energy savings from reducing drafts range from 5% to 30% per year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Check Fire Alarms

Dead batteries cause 25% of smoke alarm failures, putting your family at greater risk of a fire according the National Fire Protection Association. You should replace batteries or test hard-wired fire alarms twice a year, and always be aware of the expiration date of your smoke alarms. Also, as a rule of thumb, most smoke detectors should be replaced every 10 years. You knew this, right?

Service the HVAC System

Making sure your heating system is running safely and efficiently will help you stay toasty during cold weather while saving money on energy bills. The start of a new season is the perfect time to change your home’s air filters. Since filters become dirty and clogged over time, you should aim to change them at least once every three months. If you have multiple pets, you may want to change them more often. While there’s plenty you can do to prep your HVAC system for winter, nothing replaces professional HVAC maintenance. Nobody understands the ins and outs of home heating and cooling like the experts. Schedule an appointment before that first snowstorm hits to make sure you’re well prepared.

Secure Your House from Pests

Pests and other critters are just like you – when it’s cold outside, they want to go where it’s warm. Don’t let them! Replace all damaged roof tiles and attic vents before it snows and seal up holes around plumbing pipes and cables that enter your house. Painters and handymen can lend a hand in patching holes in your home’s exterior, and it’s wise to have a bug man regularly scheduled to spray around your home to keep the pests at bay.