Dan's Winter Home Maintenance Checklist

Winter is here! Today, Dan shares some of his best tips for keeping your home in tip-top shape through the cold winter months.



1. Check your heating system

If you have a gas system, be sure to have it inspected. You don’t want any harmful gases seeping into your home. Replace air filters and make sure your thermostat is working properly. Doing this will not only ensure you avoid costly issues down the road but also keep your heat running efficiently and save you money on your monthly bill.

2. Inspect and clean your fireplace

Make sure your fireplace is clean and functioning properly before starting those big fires!

3. Clean your gutters

After the leaves drop every fall, gutters tend to get messy. Make sure you get your gutters cleaned out ahead of heavy rainfall and possible snow so you don’t experience flooding and improper drainage. You never know what you’ll find up there! “Don’t ask me how it got there, but once I found a stuffed monkey in my gutters,” Dan confesses, “Check your gutters!”

4. Inspect your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors

Winter can be a more dangerous time for fires and smoke in your home, so make sure your detectors are working properly. If its been a year since you replaced batteries, go ahead and do that. You may even want to consider replacing your detectors if they are over 10 years old.

5. Find out where heat is escaping from your home

Another great way to heat your home more efficiently (and cut down on your monthly bill) is to find and fix any cracks, gaps in insulation, or other spots where heat might be escaping.

6. Keep emergency supplies on hand

We’ve all experienced power outages – whether caused by weather or by seemingly random circumstances. Drying the winter months especially, it is important to keep supplies on hand for such circumstances. Fresh water, blankets, non-perishable food, and portable charge packs for phones are just a few things to consider.

7. Trim trees and shrubs

With all the leaves gone, now is a great time to cut back shrubs and other landscaping in your yard. If you have tree limbs hanging over your home, consider having a professional arborist remove them as snow and ice can weigh these limbs down and cause them to fall.

BONUS Checklist: Get Ready to Sell This Spring

1. Do a DEEP clean

The cleaner your home looks, the better it shows! Take the time to deep clean your home (you’re sprucing for holiday guests anyway) and get ahead for your spring listing.

2. Paint your home

The best return on investment is hands down a fresh coat of paint. Choose one neutral color rand use it throughout the home. This will make your home look clean and fresh, especially when you paint the baseboards.

3. Replace old fixtures

One last task to consider that will be an excellent return on investment is replacing old or outdated light fixtures. Statement pieces like a dining room light or island pendants are a great place to start. Also, take look at your bathrooms. Do you have multiple finishes on the fixtures throughout the space? Update for a more cohesive look!

Our listing agents will walk through your home and give you personalized recommendations during our free, no obligation listing appointment. If you’d like to learn more about selling your home with Hamilton & Company, give us a call at 864-527-7685.