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