I know it's too early to talk about 'Winter' yet for most Winnipeggers, we all know winter's just around the corner. I can't resist posting this after seeing snow this morning.

Here are 7 Home Maintenace Tips for Winnipeggers before Winter Hits!

Change Your Furnace Filters

This goes without saying but typically most furnaces require you to clean out or replace your furnace filter every 3 to 4 months. This helps keep down dust flowing around your home and keeps the air cleaner.

Pay Attention To Drafts

This could mean you have gaps in caulking around your windows or doors typically. You will want to find and eliminate the gaps with either calking or some other sealant as these drafts will increase your heating bill as your baseboards or furnace try to equal out the temperature of your home.

Chimney Inspections

If you have a fireplace that you have been using then now is a good time to get it checked out as getting it cleaned is easier and cheaper to do now than when it gets colder out. The reason you should get your chimney checked is that as you burn wood in your fireplace soot and particulates build up on the sides of your chimney and if left to build up it can even cause a fire in the chimney shoot itself.

Check Your Smoke Alarms & CO Detectors

This isn't really a winter maintenance thing so much as a life and safety thing. Every year you should at least check your smoke and co-detectors once to see that the batteries are still good and that the unit's alarm is going off. A dead smoke detector won't do you any good if you have a fire.

Pay Attention To Icicles

Every year you see beautiful icicles on the eaves troughs of homes. The thing is these can also be dangerous to people and property. As the temperature fluctuates from day to day, these icicles can grow in size and weight, and if they break and fall from their own weight they become dangerous projectiles that can damage your car or injure you or a family member. I always recommend you smack these beauties with a broom handle before they get too big. 

Winterize Your Pipes

As we start to hit those minus 20 days we need to protect the pipes for your home. be it a trailer home, a pool, or exterior piping you may have. The thing with water freezing as it gets colder is it can burst plastic and metal pipes with ease. If you live in a trailer where your pipes are underneath the trailer I always suggest getting a heat blanket for the pipes to help keep them safe. If your home has a pool you need to properly winterize your pool before the first freeze as a pipe bursting in the ground can be quite a costly repair. Most pool maintenance companies can help provide this service if you're unsure of how to winterize your pool paradise.

Clear Driveways and Walkways

Make sure to clear your driveway and walkways as ice build-up can be super dangerous to you and to your mailman. In Winnipeg, you can actually get in trouble with the city if you do not keep a safe pathway for postal workers. Besides the legal troubles, it's also safer for you as slipping on a set of stairs or a hard cold driveway can leave you with serious injuries.

IRENE HWANG | Winnipeg REALTOR®

M. (204) 296-6755

E. irenehwang@royallepage.ca

W. http://www.irenehwang.ca

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