How To Winterize Your Home

In Louisville, Kentucky, we have the luxury (according to some people) of having all four seasons due to our humid subtropical climate. However, this means homeowner’s need to take seasonal steps to maintain their homes. With fall seeming to be flying by and winter quickly approaching, let us share a few tips. Winterizing your home might sound like a daunting task, but these quick tips could save you thousands in repairs. At Premier Homes Realty, we want every homeowner to be prepared for the seasons. Below we will teach you how to winterize your home in 3 easy steps.

Winterize Your Facuets

The first tip for winterizing your Louisville home is remove your garden hoses and drain your sprinkler systems. Removing your garden hoses from outdoor faucets is an important step to winterize your home. Leaving a hose attached to a faucet can lead to a costly mistake. With hoses attached throughout the winter, water could build up in the plumbing pipes. Eventually, this water may freeze and bust, causing hundreds to thousands of dollars in damages. Water freezing in pipes causes them to expand, crack, then leak profusely. From personal experience, I can tell you that having water pour through your basement overhead lights is NOT something that brings holiday joy. While you are at it, make sure to turn off the water to the outside faucets and even think of replacing them with anti-syphon and anti-freeze faucets.

Winterize Your Gutters

Step number two to winterize your Louisville home is de-gunk your gutters. Some of the hardest leaks to chase are the leaks that come from clogged gutters. When water stains appear on the corners of your ceilings it is often times the gutters. Clogged gutters can lead to expensive repairs, as well as leading gutters to actually pull away from the home. We see this a lot on homes that lack routine maintenance even though this can be easily avoided.

Gutters that are sagging, not pitched correctly, or holding water are culprits of extensive repairs more often than they should be. While unclogging your gutters, take a look at your downspouts as well. If they do not extend at least five feet from your home, you could be in for trouble. The easy fix for this is to attach the black corrugated downspout extenders. Water is almost impossible to get rid of once it finds a way in, so  be sure to not introduce it to your when possible.

Winterize Your Home Mechanicals

Finally, Premier Homes Realty‘s last tip to winterizing your home: have your furnace cleaned and serviced. While waiting until the last minute might not be the smartest idea financially (as companies usually charge more during the winter season for furnace servicing), it is still better than ignoring it completely. We recommend having this done sometime in the summer or fall, however, having it done is key to winterizing your home. Some home warranties for first-time home buyers will cover this service in the first year.

Annual maintenance can extend the life of your mechanical systems. Spending $100 now can save you thousands of dollars in the long run, and some miserable days of no heat in the winter. Also, changing your furnace filter every time you receive your power bill is a habit to start forming. Having your furnace cleaned and serviced is a small investment that can enable peak performance and longevity.

Winterize Your Home Conclusion

The bottom line is, in Louisville, Kentucky, we have harsh winters and summers. While having mild springs and falls, our most severe weather typically comes in January to March. With the 2022 Farmer’s Almanac predicting yet another harsh winter, performing these simple steps can save you thousands in repairs. With a weekends worth of repairs, your home can be ready for the winter so you can focus on what really matters: spending time with your loved ones these holidays. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me or the team. Premier Homes Realty is dedicated to helping buyers and sellers to the best of our expertise. If you are interested in moving to Louisville, follow these tips for all homes listed for sale in Louisville.