Here’s an abbreviated list of projects to complete to prepare your home for winter.  For the complete list, give me a call or email and I will send it to you.

Exterior

• Recaulk siding, trim, steps and pipe penetrations as necessary
• Keep gutters and downspouts cleaned out to prevent ponding or water back-up.
• Every few years, hire a roofing inspector to evaluate your roofing system
• Make sure no blisters or breaks exist in tar and gravel roofs, as these areas may become areas of leak problems someday.
• Reattach loose or missing shingles
• Keep trees and foliage away from chimney flues, make sure spark arrestors are installed, and keep chimney flues swept
• Install or replace weatherstripping at doors and windows as necessary
• Examine retaining walls, patios, steps and floors for cracks, settlement, creeping and lifting

Safety

Carbon Monoxide from cracked gas fired furnace chambers can kill.  The gas is odorless, and a detector is the only thing that will warn you of a leak.  The best action is to have the furnace checked, install a carbon monoxide detector and make sure the detector has fresh batteries in it at all times

• Replace the furnace filter
• Trip and reset circuit breakers at least once a year to prevent freezing of the switches
• Test smoke detectors monthly to make     sure they are in working order.  It is better to try the test with smoke rather than the test button, for testing accuracy
• Recharge fire extinguishers yearly; the     “full” indicator gauge could be broken
• Examine electric blankets for charred spots and cracked wiring-replace as necessary
• Install motion sensors or photosensitive lights in exterior locations to prevent falls and assist in security