There is no doubt that home maintenance projects tend to be way easier during good weather. No one wants to be out there working on DIY home improvement projects when it’s really cold but sometimes we don’t have a choice.
The winter can be long and the last thing you want is to wait until spring to start thinking of important home improvement projects.
Here are some essential projects that can’t wait till spring:
Dealing with Scratches on the Hardwood
During the cold winter, you are going to be spending a lot of time indoors. With this increased traffic, it is more likely that your hardwood floor will feel the impact and as such, scratches are not uncommon.
When these minor scratches start to appear, you must do everything possible to deal with them before they become worse. There are a ton of DIY solutions to hardwood scratches out there so it should be easy to get things done, or simply call a professional to get it dealt with ASAP.
Fixing a Leaking Faucet
We all know how annoying a leaky faucet can be. Besides, leaky faucets waste water, leading to very high utility bills in the long run. The EPA, in fact, estimates that an average house loses up to 10,000 gallons of water each year through faulty faucets.
That is just too much water to waste and as such, it’s advisable to deal with all leaky faucets as soon as possible. Leaky faucets can more often than not be fixed by replacing the gaskets but sometimes you may need to replace the entire unit.
Replacing Attic Insulation
The attic insulation is designed to prevent cold air from making its way into your home. It’s an essential part of creating an energy-efficient home but it’s not always immune to the harsh weather.
If, all of a sudden, your house feels chillier than normal, you may want to check the attic insulation just to be sure it’s working as required. If it’s not, fix it as soon as possible. This will save you a lot in heating costs and will ensure your home retains that warm and cozy ambiance during winter.
Fixing Your Drafty Windows
Drafty windows can easily let in cold air into various spaces in your home, making it unbearably cold even with the heating. Besides, that cold air coming in simply means that your heating system has to work harder to keep everyone warm. In the long run, you end up incurring too many energy costs.
Drafty windows are easy to fix. You can start by applying window caulking around the joints and along the window trim. You may also want to do comprehensive weather-stripping on the windows as well. This seals all spaces and makes sure there’s no room for cold air to get in.
Cleaning Out Your Chimney
The cozy indoor fire is a huge part of the reason why most of us survive the winter months. The fire doesn’t only heat up our spaces but it creates that cozy atmosphere that makes the colder, darker, and shorter winter days more tolerable.
However, make sure your chimney is cleaned up regularly to maintain this amazing experience. Dirty chimneys reduce the efficiency in which the furnace burns and this increases the risk of carbon monoxide emissions. Dirty chimneys may also affect the quality of indoor air in your home significantly. Call a local chimney sweeping company to get this done!
Changing the Air Filters
The quality of indoor air during winter has to be 100% perfect. This is because you will be all cooked up in the house for very long and you want that environment to be as comfortable as possible.
Replacing the air filters will be crucial in making sure of this. Clean and efficient air filters will almost guarantee clean air, leading to a healthy and comfortable indoor environment for you and your family.
Winter maintenance is essential in keeping your home in pristine condition just in time for spring and summer. Contact a professional and request a free quote to get these out of the way!
