10 Steps to Winterizing Your Home

Now that the weather is changing, it's a good time to begin to Winterize Your Home For Sale.  It will not only make you more comfortable if the home is Owner Occupied, but buyers will be looking for those items that could be costly to them after closing.  Buyers not only look at the listing price, but also at what it would cost them to live in the home they purchase a home.  In the long run, these 10 steps can save you money.  These small fixes can prevent costly repairs in the future.

1. Lights.  Make sure all of the outside light fixtures are working properly and the lightbulbs are functioning at maximum capacity.  Also make sure all nightlights are working properly.
2. Bird nests. Although you may have enjoyed the birds around your home during the summer, old bird nests can be hazardous to your home.  Remove all bird nests from light fixtures, chimneys and gutters.  They could catch on fire the next time you light a fire in your fireplace or alight from a spark.  They could also cause a blockage in your gutters.
3. Heating System.  This is the time of year to have a profession check-out your heating system.  Potential buyers pay attention to how well your heating system is working because a poorly functioning system could add $$$s to that sale price.  Change the filter at the same time.  Filters should be changed twice a year at least.  If you have pets or a smoker in the house, the filters should be changed more frequently.
4. Chimney Cleaning.  Maintenance of you chimney is a must to prevent the build-up of soot and creosote which could ignite.  It is a good idea to have a cap with a screen.  This can prevent unwanted animals from getting trapped in your chimney, or worse, into your home.
5. Windows and Doors.  Check all of the windows and doors for drafts.  Hold a thin material up to the window and door to see if there is any movement in the material.  Re-caulk areas where the caulking is damaged or missing.  At the same time, check that all of the locks function properly.  Even a small gap can cause heat loss from your home.
6. Bathroom Fixtures.  Where fixtures touch the floor or walls, make sure there are no gaps.  These gaps can cause heat loss.  They can also allow water to get into the sub-flooring so fill in those gaps around the bathtub, toilet, sink and cabinets.
7. Wrap exposed ducts and pipes.  By wrapping exposed pipes and ducts, you can help prevent them from freezing.
8. Gutters.  Now is the time to clean out those gutters.  Leaves, twigs, pine needles and bird nests are just some of the debris that can build up in your gutters.   Clean the gutters of all debris.  If necessary, use a scrapper.
9. Gas-powered lawn equipment.  Be sure to use or remove gas from all gas-powered lawn equipment to prevent fires in your garage.  At the same time, remove any flammable rags from the garage.
10. Smoke Alarm Batteries.  Twice a year the batteries in smoke detectors should be changed so that if there is a fire, the batteries actually work.  It is also good advice to have a carbon-monoxide detector.  They are inexpensive yet can save your life from this "silent killer".

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