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The best way to avoid the most common winter-weather problems is to prepare your home before the temperature drops. Although you can’t control everything that happens outside, there are several steps you can take to mitigate the effects of winter on your home and family. Here are four simple things that will help make sure you’re ready for whatever Mother Nature decides to throw at you this season:
Keep your home pest-free
Heating systems are one of the most effective ways to keep your home pest-free this winter. A well-insulated home can help keep you warm, but it can also help keep pests out.
If you have mice or rats that are making their way into your home, these pests can be prevented from entering by sealing all holes and cracks in your walls with steel wool or cork. This will keep them from being able to get inside.
If you notice small insects in your home, you can use some natural remedies to get rid of them. Vinegar is an effective way to kill ants and other bugs and keep them away from your house in general. You can also get in touch with a pest control service to help you rid your home of any issues you may have before winter. Just search pest control near me to find a service in your local area.
Maintain your yard properly
Maintaining your yard properly is a great way to prepare for winter because it ensures that your yard will be in tip-top shape to handle the harsh weather.
If you don’t maintain your yard, you could find leaves and branches scattered across your lawn, making it difficult to mow the grass or keep up with the rest of your yard maintenance. This leaves you vulnerable to having a messy and unkempt yard, making it harder for people looking at your home from the street to see how well-maintained and beautiful it is.
Protect your water pipes
Protecting your water pipes from freezing can help prepare your house for winter. The water inside your pipes is constantly moving, which means it’s warm. But when the temperature outside drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, that isn’t so anymore—and if the cold air gets into your pipes, it can freeze them solid. The result: a burst pipe that could cause thousands of dollars in damage and take days to repair.
You can protect your home from these costly disasters by insulating your water pipes with an inexpensive hose that fits snugly around each pipe or by wrapping them in foam insulation tape. If you want to do more than just prevent damage, consider having a plumber install “pipe insulation sleeves” on all exposed pipes in your home, that way, they’ll be protected all year round.
Get an energy audit
Finally, whether you’re planning on staying in your home for the winter or are an apartment dweller who will be looking for a new place to live, it’s important to get a good idea of what your energy usage is like.
An energy audit can help you determine your home’s energy and identify areas where you could save money. If you’re renting, an audit can help you negotiate with your landlord about making changes to your space to make it more energy efficient.
It’s also important to consider that most landlords require all tenants in their buildings to have their homes inspected before they move in.
With this information in mind, it makes sense to consider getting an audit done before winter weather hits so any issues can be fixed before they become problems.
