26 Jan Winterizing Your Home for the Colder Months
Whether you’re renting a property or living in a home you own, winterizing is not a task you should ignore. Renters who fail to properly winterize their leased properties can be held liable for any damages that result from not taking the proper or suggested precautions. It’s easy to take a little bit of time out of a few weekends heading into a winter season to quickly and easily handle the small tasks that can make a big difference in getting your home ready for the colder months of the year. Here’s a few winterization tips that you should absolutely make sure to do:
- Turn OFF all of the interior water valves that lead to exterior faucets and be sure to OPEN exterior faucets after detaching and draining all hoses. If you have a hose bib, be sure to take the proper steps to winterize that as well. This can help to insure that water doesn’t freeze and potentially burst the pipes.
- Be sure to change furnace filters every month or two to make sure that the heating systems in your home is functioning properly. Clean filters reduce the amount of effort it takes to transfer air throughout the home, which reduces operating costs over using old and dirty filters. You will also improve the breathability of the air quality in your home.
- If you are planning on being away from the home on vacation or for the holidays on extended trips then be sure to leave the house temperature above 55 degrees. It is also a good idea to ask a friend or neighbor to check on the home during your absence to ensure the heat is still working or if the temperature drops really low to make sure none of the pipes in the home are having problems with freezing.
(you can see our extended list of recommendations on our Winterization Instructions )
There are a lot of other little tasks you can perform to get your home ready for the winter months. The sooner you get started, the better chance you will have of not getting caught unaware when the temperature starts to dip during the cold season! If you have any questions on how to winterize your home, you can contact your property management company. AH Management is local to Northern Virginia and is always available to answer questions on winterizing rental properties to avoid potential damage from colder conditions, feel free to contact us with any questions!
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