You’ve probably seen memes on the internet, poking some gentle fun at Texans and the general state of panic that sometimes ensues when threatening winter weather is on the horizon. Even when a snowpocalypse isn’t in the making, however, there are a few important home maintenance items you should address in your DFW-area home before temperatures dip and icy precipitation arrives. Use this handy list to be prepared.

Fire Up The Furnace

All summer long, your furnace has sat in patient hibernation while your air conditioning system worked overtime. Before the worst of the winter cold hits, it’s time to get that furnace — and your entire heating system — checked out and serviced. An HVAC maintenance company can make sure your equipment is working efficiently and that your home’s exterior openings and interior ductwork is sealed to prevent undue leakage.

If you have a gas furnace, checking on your pilot light before turning on is especially important. And in addition to checking for ductwork leaks, it’s a good idea to also check for leaks in the pipes that carry natural gas into your home.

Up On The Rooftop

Santa’s sleigh needs a well-conditioned rooftop to land on this winter — and you need to ensure that your home is properly sealed against precipitation, wind, and any critters who may decide to make your home their home.

The fierce thunderstorms that sweep through Texas in the spring and summer can leave roof damage that you may not detect until much later on. Even a few missing shingles can lead to big problems in your home during the winter months. If you have a tall enough ladder, you can try inspecting your own roof for damage. But when it comes to roof repairs, make sure to call in the experts — and check to see if your homeowner’s insurance will cover any necessary work.

Sweep ‘Em Out

You have two key areas on/in your home to sweep out before winter: your gutters and your chimney/fireplace. Let’s start with your gutters. As leaves fall during autumn, they can clog up your gutter, which may make it impossible for precipitation to freely flow. When winter hits and that precipitation freezes, your gutters may crack or separate from your home because of leaves, nuts, acorns, and other obstructions. Sweep your gutters each year after all trees in your yard have finished shedding their leaves.

Your chimney and fireplace are also highly important areas to address before you use them for the first time each winter. Clean debris from last winter out of your fireplace. To ensure that your chimney is in tip-top shape, you can either hire a chimney sweeping service or burn a special creosote-dispersing log to help clear out old soot. One last area that needs addressed for your fireplace: the very top. Ensure that no critters have made their home in your chimney over the summer. If necessary, you may need to replace (or add, if you didn’t already have) screening over the top of the chimney.

Lighten and Brighten

The winter months can sometimes be dreary, but think about how wonderful it is on days when the sun is shining brightly. Get your home ready to take advantage of the heat the sun can offer even on the coldest of days by putting up lighter draperies. This natural sunlight can not only brighten your home but can help you to get your daily dose of vitamin D to keep the winter blues away.

Ready? Set! Now it’s time to prepare to tackle your winter home maintenance chores.

Image Source: Flickr

[cf]skyword_tracking_tag[/cf]