Are You Prepared for the Potential Winter Weather in the Forecast?

The forecast may be giving you a bit of a fright, with the weather possibly approaching this weekend.  There are a few things you can do to ensure your home is ready for whatever winter precipitation may come our way.

• Clean out the gutters, disconnect and drain all outside hoses. If possible, shut off outside water valves.
• Caulk and weather-strip doors and windows.
• Remove tree branches that could get weighed down with ice or snow and fall on your house – or your neighbor’s.
• Wrap water pipes in your basement or crawl spaces with insulation sleeves to slow heat transfer.
• Consider an insulated blanket for your hot water heater.
• If you have a fireplace, keep the flue closed when you’re not using it.
• Make sure your furniture isn’t blocking your home’s heating vents.
• During cold spells, keep cabinet doors open to allow warm air to circulate around pipes, particularly those in the kitchen and bathrooms.
• Keep a slow trickle of water flowing through faucets connected to pipes that run through unheated or unprotected spaces.

Are you ready for a winter wonderland?