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Get your home ready for winter now!

Posted by Dan Flaherty on 8 September 2015 | 0 Comments

As summer winds down Flaherty Insurance wants to remind you it is a perfect time to prepare your home for winter. It might feel early, but as summer turns to fall, and Halloween preparations start, it’s only a short time before we are busy with holiday season. However, by then it may be too late! Get a jump on the chill, and start winterizing now.

For starters, you should check and see if your heating system is working properly.  You do not want to find out on the first cold night of the year that after sitting dormant for several months it is not working.  Not only will you be chilly, but the repair man may be too busy repairing the heating system of others to get right out to you.  It’s better to find out now than to be left out in the cold.

It is also a good idea to think about both the outside of your home while the weather is still comfortable.  You may want to begin the process of putting away patio furniture and lawn games.    Take time to plan when to turn off the water for the outside spigots as well. All too often people forget to, and the water pipes burst in the first freeze.

Remember! Preparation means Safety! Use our checklist below!

Outside your home:

• clean up any garden and plant debris, clear paths and walkways
• clean lawn, rake leaves regularly and dispose of properly
• put away all garden equipment, turn off water to outside spigots
  • hoses
  • sprinklers
  • plant supports
  • lights
  • statues
  • temporary fencing
• clean and take in all patio furniture, umbrellas, summer awnings, & shade covers
• make sure all grills, BBQs, & smokers are cleaned, covered, and put away
• pools also need to be shut down, covered, & secured during the winter season
• make sure roof, chimneys, and all gutters are clean and clear of debris

Inside your home:

• Check your heating system

  • check and clean it before you need it
    (always know the condition of your heating system)

  • prevent furnace and boiler puff backs
    (save yourself from the soot and odor)

  • call in a service person to perform regular maintenance
    (preventative rather than corrective)

• Test all internal fire and carbon monoxide alarms
  • check placement of alarms in home, move or install a second if needed
  • replace batteries if necessary
  • replace entire alarm if necessary
  • do you have a working fire extinguisher in the house?

• Doors, windows, and sliding glass doors
  • invest in temporary storm windows, weather caulking, or plastic insulation
  • check and replace spent weather-stripping around each door
  • remove and properly store all screen coverings and screen doors
  • take down and/or close all exterior shutters and awnings

Flaherty Insurance hopes everyone stays cozy and safe
as the temperature starts to drop!