Between holiday festivities, end of year organizing, and limited daylight hours, the month of December seems to go by in a flash. But don’t let that prevent you from tackling some important home maintenance tasks.
Here are 5 things to check off your list this December that will help you save money, save time, and make your home more enjoyable this month and beyond.
Have your furnace inspected and cleaned. As temperatures continue to drop, make sure your home heating system is up to the task of keeping your family warm. A qualified HVAC specialist not only will clean the furnace and replace the filter, but also check for dangerous leaks that could pose a safety hazard.
- Insulate exposed plumbing pipes. During the winter months, frozen pipes are one of the biggest and most costly plumbing disasters. Keep yours from freezing by insulating all pipes in unheated areas, including your garage and crawl spaces.
- Deep clean your appliances. The holidays can leave a mark on your kitchen, especially in the oven, microwave, and refrigerator. Now is a great time to give them a thorough cleaning. Don’t forget to pull your refrigerator out and vacuum behind it. And if your fridge has coils, vacuum those as well to improve its energy efficiency.
- Lower your energy usage and utility bills. It might seem impossible to lower your utility usage during the winter months. But there are a few simple steps you can take to accomplish that goal. If, for example, you decorate with holiday lights, switch to LEDs that use less energy. Set your ceiling fan to run in reverse, which pushes warm air down and allows you to turn your thermostat down a couple of degrees. Also, seal gaps around windows and doors – anywhere you can feel cold air entering your house.
- Prepare for the snowy days ahead. Ready or not, snow, sleet, and ice are on the way. Stock up on ice melt or sand, and make sure your shovels and snow blower are ready to take on another season. If you’d rather outsource, line someone up now.
Returning our attention to items #1 and #2 above, ahem, your quality home heating and plumbing specialists are all right here at Burton. We the resources, experience and, most of all, the determination to help make your winter season as warm, safe, comfortable, and worry free as possible. All you need to do is contact us and let us know how we can help.
