The Freezing Season...Is Your Home Ready to withstand Mother Nature? Winter arrived in the South with a chilling greeting and, houses have to get serious. While winter in Charlotte is mild compared to our northern counterparts, roofs must shed rain and snow, windows and doors must reject the cold, and the heating system must keep rooms comfortable. If any of these components don't hold up their part of the bargain, we have to scramble around in the wet, cold and/or dark to fix them.
1) Check the gutters and roof While you're on the ladder, look into the gutters. If they are clogged with leaves and debris, either call a gutter specialist or clean the gutters yourself. Gutters prevent basement and foundation flooding and water damage to siding, windows, and doors. When clogged with leaves and debris, they will fill with rainwater and overflow. To make matters worse, the added weight of the water may pull them loose from the eaves or cause backup onto the roof with subsequent leaks.
2) Service the heating system If your home is heated by a forced-air furnace, turn off the power to the unit and replace its disposable filter or clean its permanent filter according to the manufacturer's recommendations. While the furnace cabinet is open, brush and vacuum the blower blades. If you see potential leaks around air ducts, seal them by wrapping with duct tape. If you are not familiar with doing this type of work yourself, call a furnace technician.
3) Sweep the chimney If you can see past the damper in the throat of the chimney, shine a flashlight up from inside to look for black, scaly creosote buildup on the inner walls. Creosote buildup on the inner walls of the chimney must be removed periodically to prevent chimney fires. The amount of buildup inside the chimney will depend upon how much wood you burn seasonally (especially resinous wood such as pine) and how long it has been since the last cleaning. Cleaning is generally recommended at least once a year for an active fireplace. Call a chimney sweep to have this done. Store firewood at least 30 feet away from your home. Clean the kitchen exhaust hood and air filter as well as clean the clothes dryer exhaust duct, damper and space under the dryer (many fires have begun in these clogged locations).
4) Adjust storm doors A storm door can reduce energy costs and prevent drafts. To keep your storm door working properly, put a couple of drops of light oil or spray a little WD-40 on hinges and latches. Be sure the door closer is adjusted and working smoothly; to adjust the closing speed of a pneumatic closer, turn the adjustment screw in the end cap. If you have a storm-and-screen door with interchangeable glass and screen panels, switch from screens to glass panels.
5) Investigate weatherstripping Also look to see if windows and doors are effectively sealed with weatherstripping. Weatherstripping will prevent drafts and winter heat loss. If weatherstripping is damaged, it's usually easiest and most effective to entirely replace it rather than to repair it.
6) Prevent Plumbing Freezes Locate your water main in the event you need to shut it off in an emergency. Drain all garden hoses and detach from the spigot. Insulate exposed plumbing pipes, especially faucets with a foam sleeve available at hardware stores or a few layers of socks wrapped in aluminum foil. Drain air conditioner pipes and, if your AC has a water shut-off valve, turn it off. If you go on vacation, leave the heat on, set to at least 55 degrees, ideally 60-65 degrees especially if you have hardwood floors as seems can develop as the wood contracts.
7) Prepare Landscaping & Outdoor Surfaces Trim trees if branches hang too close to the house or electrical wires. Ask a gardener when your trees should be pruned to prevent winter injury. Plant spring flower bulbs and lift bulbs that cannot winter over such as dahlias in areas where the ground freezes. Seal driveways, brick patios and wood decks. Don't automatically remove dead vegetation from gardens as some provide attractive scenery in an otherwise dreary, snow-drenched yard. Move sensitive potted plants indoors or to a sheltered area.
8) Prepare an Emergency Kit in Case of Power Outage **not unusual during a snow or ice storm Buy indoor candles and matches / lighter and flashlight with batteries for use during a power shortage and store where they can be easily found in the dark. Find the phone numbers for your utility companies and tape them near your phone or inside the phone book. Buy a battery back-up to protect your computer and sensitive electronic equipment. Store extra bottled water and non-perishable food supplies (including pet food, if you have a pet), blankets and a first-aid kit in a dry and easy-to-access location. **Even most gas cooktops have an electric starter so hot food may not be an option. Prepare an evacuation plan in the event of an emergency.
