Winter Safety Checklist: Here’s what a heating and plumbing professional does in his home

Whether you rent or own, I’ve put together a handy guide to help you inspect and winterize your home. I consulted with T. J. Lurie, president Pen Pro SurfFor some winter home safety tips in this guide.

Preparing for winter weather doesn’t require a professional or maintenance team – and can help prevent problems and save money Utility bills.

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When to get a professional inspection

An HVAC technician appointment is a reliable way to prepare your home for the winter season.

Lowry recommends that most homeowners schedule a seasonal maintenance inspection at least once a year. “Professionals can often catch small problems before they become a bigger problem and save the homeowner from having to spend a lot of money on a more serious problem,” he points out.

Even if you don’t opt ​​for a comprehensive maintenance package, professionals are generally the best choice for chimney cleaning. Although some HVAC services offer chimney cleaning and inspection, you may need to find a chimney sweep instead. You can also get a home energy audit from most utility companies to find ways to increase heating efficiency in the winter.

If you’re a renter, the responsibility for inspecting and maintaining your home usually falls to the landlord, although they sometimes delegate simpler tasks to tenants. Never schedule exterior inspections or maintenance without your property owner’s permission. (There may already be a maintenance team at work.) For example, my property manager is staffing a new maintenance team Furnace filterssends winter safety tips and has a maintenance request form.

Regardless, everyone can save a little money with three DIY steps: inspection, seasonal maintenance, and emergency preparation. Start by taking the time to inspect your home for warning signs of your HVAC, plumbing, electrical and structural systems.

Prepare your HVAC system for winter

Barring extreme circumstances, most winter-related problems won’t pop up without warning.

We tend to think of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems mostly in terms of the machines we use to control the indoor climate: heaters and air conditioners. However, your HVAC system also requires vents, doors, windows, and insulation to function properly.

Unusual sights, sounds and smells in your HVAC equipment are some of the clearest signs that maintenance is needed. For example, Lowry says rattling and noise can mean deeper problems with your system.

If your heating system doesn’t show any of the above signs, Lowry suggests looking for drafts and uneven heating in your home. These often indicate that your system is not working efficiently. Although you can detect drafts without Thermal cameraIt is a useful tool for finding places where cold air enters your home.

Winter HVAC tasks for everyone (including renters):

• Wipe down radiators and panel heaters before activating them.
• Use a Window insulator kit On single pane windows and unused windows.
• Set your thermostat to heat instead of cool.
• Turn off your air conditioner when the outside temperature is high Lows below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Reverse the directions of the ceiling fan.
• Open the curtains for solar heating during the day and close them at night for more heat retention.

For homeowners and landlords:

• Replace your furnace filter before running oven For this season.
• Clean fireplaces, chimneys, chimneys and wood stoves before use.
• While you can seal Unused fireplaces and chimneys To improve heat retention, remember to open them if you change your mind in the middle of winter.
• Remodel, repair or replace weatherization around doors and windows as needed.
• Cover your air conditioner.
• Check attic insulation and replace old exterior doors.

Prepare your pipes and plumbing for the winter

Frozen pipes can burst, leading to costly floods and dangerous mold.

Cracked and leaking pipes may seem obvious, but some leaks are so small that you can’t see them at a glance. In these cases, it is necessary to look for mineral buildup and corrosion in exposed pipes – this sometimes indicates a minor leak.

Sweaty pipes—those with condensation on the outside—are another thing to watch out for. This could be a sign of excess moisture in your home, which is ideal conditions for mold to grow.

Winter plumbing tasks for everyone (including renters):

• Remove and drain garden hoses.
• Prove Leak detection devices In vulnerable locations.

For homeowners and landlords:

Unplug your electrical cords and cords

Checking surge protectors is as easy as pressing the “Test” button to see if the power is off.

Be aware of two common problems with your home’s electrical system: damaged wiring and overflowing outlets. As with other areas of your home, preventing fire risks is sensible all year round.

Although tearing up drywall is a step too far to find damaged wiring, it’s always a good idea to inspect exposed wiring, including cords, power strips, extension cords, and Christmas lights. In addition to visible cracks and missing prongs, look for wires that lose power when bent at a certain angle. This often means there is a broken wire inside.

Overloaded outlets pose a fire hazard, especially when used with Space heaters. Remember that space heaters and extension cords (and power strips) Don’t agreeSo plan to keep an open outlet on the wall outlet where you can plug the heater. You may need to move other devices to a different outlet or power strip. Likewise, keep clutter away from your fireplaces.

behind Space heater safetyYou should also avoid daisy-chained surge protectors and extension cords – for example, such as connecting additional power strips to a central power strip. This is not only a fire hazard but also a tripping hazard. It’s better to invest in one large power strip with the ports and protection you need than to try to make your own from a bunch of smaller, cheaper strips.

Winter electrical tasks for everyone (including renters):

• The perimeter of the space heater is clear And ensuring direct access to a Dedicated wall outlet.
• Use electrical tape to repair minor wire damage – as long as the internal insulation is intact.
• Use appropriately sized power strips and surge protectors.
• Replace frayed wires and surge protectors.
• Check the lights, fuses, and wires for your Christmas lights.

For homeowners and landlords:

• Replace worn and loose wall outlets.
• Check external electrical outlets to ensure they have adequate seals.
• Trim trees near your home and power lines.

Other winter tasks

Functional fire safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers and smoke detectors, is essential to any winterization checklist.

Some winter weather safety tips don’t fit neatly into the HVAC, plumbing, or electrical categories but are important considerations to keep your home free of potential hazards.

Other pre-winter tasks for everyone (including renters):

For homeowners and landlords:

Emergency planning

Emergency kits don’t need to be complicated – they just need to provide the basics until the severe weather stops and utilities get back up and running again.

Every winter safety strategy should as well Calculate potential emergencies. The best way to do this is to compile a Bug bag For power outages at home, but you can also use it as a tool Car emergency kit.

Lowry suggests keeping your propane heater portable and stored outside the home whenever possible. You may need to open windows for good ventilation to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, even if it affects heating efficiency.

It is also possible to set up Temporary emergency heaters – Consider placing heat sources near flammable objects and surfaces. Not only is a backup heater convenient, but the heat can help delay pipe freezing during a winter storm.

Lowry says to prepare a “bag full of practical items: flashlights, extra batteries, blankets, bottled water, and three days’ worth of nonperishable food per person. Also keep a charged power bank on hand in case of an emergency so you can charge important items, like a phone, in case of an emergency.” Likewise, you can invest in… Portable generator or Portable power station.

A winter weather preparedness list and emergency kit are essential for staying safe in cold temperatures, even in the event of a power outage.