Warm for the Winter: Essential Fall Comfort Tips

Can you feel it? Fall is finally here, beckoning in cooler nights and maybe even a frost or two. While it’s still perfectly pleasant during the day, we know that cold weather is looming in the distance, and it’s important to remember that your home may not be perfectly cold-weather ready!

Here Are A Few Fall Comfort Tips

Everyone knows the Saturday morning drill of waking up, glancing over the growing list of projects, and decide which ones can wait another week or two (or five). However, it’s important to begin protecting your home from the cold as soon as possible to avoid damage with an early, unexpected frost or freeze.

Fortunately, there are several simple steps to get your home ready for cooler temperatures without calling a professional or breaking the bank. Weatherproofing can be simple and cost-effective, especially if it’s done early in the season.

Check Your Gutters

If your gutters aren’t angled properly, they can overflow – this can threaten your currently-dry basement. It also heightens the risk of freezing in the winter if standing water is left unattended in your gutters. Checking the angle of your gutters is simple; just hold a level even with the gutter. If you have a longer gutter span than you can accurately measure with a level, pour water from the hose to check the water’s direction.

Fix Cracked Concrete

It can be tempting to let pesky cracks in your sidewalk or driveway to go unattended, but those cracks can be a fall hazard, especially if water finds its way in and freezes over the winter. Fortunately, if you can caulk, you can fix your concrete! For small cracks, a small amount of acrylic latex concrete will do the trick. Larger cracks may require a stronger vinyl concrete that requires a day or two to cure completely.

Check the Attic

We know, the attic isn’t the most fun place to be. However, if there are any cracks or holes in the attic you may find yourself running up your energy bill in the winter thanks to lost heat. Avoid the financial stress (and cold chills) by fixing roof leaks through caulking and interior gaps with polyurethane foam. This way, all the heat you paid for will stay safely contained inside your home all winter long.

Clean Cooling Devices (and HVAC)

It’s important to maintain clean, dust-free devices such as fans, window units, and yes, even HVAC systems. Ceiling fans should be flipped to rotate clockwise to push warm air down, and while you’re up there give the blades a wipe with a microfiber cloth to remove dust. Your HVAC system may require a little bit more than a wipe-down, however – let the professionals at Young’s Home Comfort give your HVAC system an end-of-season maintenance check! Give us a call at 215-234-4351 to get your home on track for cooler weather today. We look forward to hearing from you!