Cold weather is just around the corner, and here are a few things you can do now to reduce potential headaches next year.
Store firewood 20 feet from the house if possible. Termites love this food source, and once they find the firewood, they’ll head to the house.
- Have a heating specialist service your furnace. Experts estimate that 70% of all furnace failures are due to lack of annual maintenance. You can add another 10 years onto its life with a little love and care once per year. It’s not expensive either. Less than $100.
- And speaking of firewood, if you burn wood, consider having your chimney cleaned and inspected at least once every three years. Lots of fires start in a chimney with built-up debris/soot.
- Winterizing your sprinklers is a great idea, but don’t forget about winterizing the outside faucets themselves. Most of them can be turned off inside the house, which prevents freezing at the faucet head.
- Be sure to turn on your humidifier. You probably have a built-in one on your furnace, just be sure to flip the switch from summer to winter.
- Switch your ceiling fan rotation. By having your ceiling fans move in a clockwise direction, you can create an updraft that forces hot air to circulate throughout the room rather than being trapped in the rafters.
Personally, I love cold weather, but it comes with its own particular set of issues, so plan ahead. An ounce of prevention, as they say.
-Robert Ladd
Legacy Home Inspections
913.484.4157
www.lhi-kc.com
