How to Prepare Your House for All Seasons

Your household is meant to be your comfort zone, a place to rest your head after a long day of work or school. However, your home needs to be ready for just about everything. Keeping on top of the maintenance of your household is more than just a daily chore of cleaning, but rather, seasonal precautions that will ready you for all Mother Nature’s elements.

The best advice is to be one season ahead of the game such as preparing for spring during winter and summer during spring. Here are some things to keep in mind for your household as the temperature goes up and down.

Spring

Once you’ve spent some time spring cleaning, it’s time to prepare for warmer temperatures and get ready to crank up the air conditioner for the summer months ahead. Consider bringing in an HVAC technician in the springtime to check your system’s ducts, vents, and other equipment. You’ll want to be sure that you’re getting the cold temperatures from your AC that you need. Learn whether you need to purchase a new thermostat by checking its connectivity immediately so that you have control over your home’s temperature all year round.

If your current thermostat isn’t showing an accurate read on your indoor temperature, you may want to consider a newer model if the sensor isn’t triggered improperly. You could invest in a smart thermostat that allows for limiting energy consumption by setting timers for when the AC is turned on.

Summer

The summer is meant for relaxation, breaking out the outdoor furniture for your patio, and firing up the barbecue. However, as summertime winds down and you get ready to send the kids back to school, it’s time to get ready for autumn.

You’ll want to set aside time in the summer to take an assessment of your energy bill and see if there are any adjustments you can make to your habits. Make sure that your chimney and plumbing are all cleared out before autumn arrives and drain them to brace for falling leaves and other muck that may soon build up in your gutters and pipes.

Autumn

When fall rolls around, it’s the time to get your house in order for what the winter has to bring with cold weather, ice, and snow. The best piece of advice for winterizing houses is to make sure that your roof is ready to handle the elements. Be sure to check for any potential repairs, noting any cracks in your ceiling or signs of rotting in the beams in your attic.

With cold air set to make its way in, you’ll also want to make sure that your doors and windows are properly sealed to prevent any cool air from seeping in. Be sure to check that your insulation is also up to par to keep the warm air in. This is especially important in the long run for your heating bill, as you’ll avoid cranking up the thermostat as high as it goes. You’ll also want to drain your outdoor plumbing of any leaves and gunk, clearing out gutters and faucets to prevent ice from creating a blockage.

Winter

As wintertime winds down and the temperature slowly rise, it’s time to get your house ready for the spring. That of course means spring cleaning. Be prepared by replacing all air filters in your home starting with your furnace filters that have accrued a significant amount of dust and sediment from excessive use over the past few months. Be sure to check your dryer vents and plumbing fixtures as well.

Consider hiring a window cleaning service as the winter months wind down to get some exterior shine on those windows that you may not be able to accommodate on your own. Make sure that your foundation is in good shape as well, checking for any seepage or cracks that may have developed due to water damage.