Winter weather is usually rough in New England. It has never been more important to prepare your residential or commercial property to prevent problems. It is better to begin your property chores in the fall before the temperature gets too cold. Here is a list of property maintenance tasks to plan to do before winter arrives.
Clean Rain Gutters and Downspouts
After the leaves have fallen from the trees on or near your property, you should clean the rain gutters and the downspouts. You can use an extension ladder or a bucket truck to reach these items. For a smaller building, using a gardening shovel is an easy way to remove the debris from the rain gutters, but many property owners prefer using a power washer device to blast away the leaves, trash, and dirt with strong streams of pressurized water.
Add Caulking around Your Home’s Windows and Doors
To keep a building warmer, you should add liquid or adhesive roll caulking around the windows and doors. Begin by doing this outside a building, but you should also determine if you need to add these materials to the inside of a building to prevent cold drafts.
Care for Trees on Your Property
Check the trees on your property to make sure that the trunks and branches are in good condition. You can often remove dangling or dead branches on your own, but if a tree is dead or dying, then you should consider calling a professional to have it removed. A decaying tree is a risk on your property because it can fall during a blizzard, leading to damage to a building or injuries to the building’s occupants.
Prepare Plumbing Devices
You must prepare a building’s plumbing devices for winter to prevent frozen pipes and faucets. Drain a building’s exterior faucets and pipes first before protecting the items with adhesive insulation tape and covers. If you have an irrigation system for the lawns or gardens on your property, then check the equipment’s manual to understand how to prepare it for winter. In addition, check the plumbing fixtures inside a building to make sure that the devices are in the best condition for the cold temperatures that occur during the winter.
Inspect Rooftop for Storm Damage
It is possible for a building’s rooftop to have storm damage that will get worse during the winter. You can inspect a roof for problems by using a bucket truck or extension ladder, but it is often better to call a professional roofer to check for storm damage that he can fix right away before it begins to snow.
Add Insulation to the Attic & Garage
If you have had expensive heating bills in the past, then you can add insulation to your garage or attic during the fall. Roll insulation is easy to install on the floor of an attic, and you can also use this material on the walls of a garage. If your home or business is poorly insulated, then you can call an expert to inject blown-in type insulation into the walls of the building.
Clean Fireplaces and Chimneys
When a building has fireplaces and chimneys, you must clean these devices once a year to remove a buildup of creosote and wood particles. These substances can prevent the proper flow of smoke along with causing an internal fire. Experts recommend hiring a professional chimney sweep for the highest quality repairs to fireplaces and chimneys.
Check Exterior Lighting Fixtures
It is important to have exterior lighting fixtures on your property because it is darker in the winter. You won’t want to replace a light bulb in a porch or driveway lighting fixture when it is snowing. Fall is also a great time to install additional lighting fixtures that are either electric or solar-powered.
Check Foundation
Walk around a building to check its foundation for problems such as cracks where moisture or pests can enter. If a building’s foundation is crumbling, then the floors in a business or home will be colder in the winter. You can repair foundation problems with cement or other substances that are available at local hardware stores.
Make a list of the required autumn maintenance chores so that you can prepare a shopping list for the required supplies for each task. When the weather is warm and dry, you can work outside, but when it is cool or rainy, you can work inside your commercial or residential property.
Insurcomm: The Restoration Leader
Insurcomm is an Insurance Restoration contractor based in New England. Insurcomm is a leading company focusing on getting families back on track should they experience the unexpected. Whether it is water damage, fire damage, environmental mishaps, mold issues, or smoke damage, Insurcomm can make sure your family and life get back to normal after an unexpected event.
The more you prepare, the better you will do. Storm damage is the most common inconvenience out there, so if possible, begin your research there. We hope you enjoy your fall. Should you need any kind of restoration service Insurcomm is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week at 844-424-9283 or online at insurcomm.com.