Living in Pittsburgh, PA, we all have the luxury of enjoying all four seasons. Unfortunately for homeowners, that means that we need to make sure our properties are in tip-top shape to weather spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Here at Cork Valley Properties, we wanted to share some tips on how to ensure that your home is prepped and ready to take on anything a Pittsburgh winter could bring!
- Check Your Exterior Doors for Drafts
- Feel a cool breeze as you get closer to your front door? Add a piece of weather-stripping to the interior to block the draft! You can find these at your local hardware store.
- Change Your Furnace Filters and Schedule a Tune Up
- During the cold weather months, you want to ensure that your furnace is working efficiently. One way to do this is to change your furnace filter monthly during the winter. To make sure it is clean, hold your furnace filter up to a light and check that you can see light through it. If not, it’s time for a change! Homeowners can also schedule a regular maintenance call to have a professional check that all is in working order.
- Prep Your Hot Water Heater
- There are a few checklist items to attend to your hot water heater to make sure it is running efficiently and helps keep your heating bills down.
- Insulate an older water heater – Call your utility company for instructions on how to do this. Some water heaters do not need insulated.
- Insulate hot water pipes – Using foam insulation pipes that you can find at the local hardware store, wrap your hot water pipes in the basement
- Lower the temperature – Even lowering the hot water temperature by 20 degrees can help lower your heating bill, without slacking on your hot water needs.
- There are a few checklist items to attend to your hot water heater to make sure it is running efficiently and helps keep your heating bills down.
- Check Your Exterior, Too!
- Clean your gutters of leaves and dirt
- Check your trees to ensure none would be heavy with snow or ice and fall on your home
- Cover any patio furniture
- Prepare to store your lawn equipment and be ready to use your snow removal tools
- Empty the leftover gas from your summer tools
- Do a test run of your snow removal tools so that they are ready to go for the first big snowfall
We hope that you find these tips helpful as you prep for a snowy season! We’ve had a beautiful fall, and are looking forward to a great winter ahead!
