At Texan Insurance we know how important your home is to you and would like to give you fall and winter maintenance tips to keep your home in peak condition. Fall and winter in the South varies dramatically from the northern region to the southern coastline, but regardless of climate these 6 basic tips apply:
- Maximize your heating. Heating systems in the South vary—there are generally more gas furnaces in the northern areas, and more electric heat pump systems toward the coastal South. Regardless of the system, installing programmable thermostats saves you around $180 a year on energy. Inspect filters, floor grates, and return ducts cleaning out with a vacuum cleaner brush if necessary.
- Inspect and clean your gutters. In the South, we don’t often contend with ice bridges in our gutters like a good majority of the U.S. Nevertheless, debris in our gutters can easily cause problems with sending water onto the roof or siding, setting the stage for mold and rot. Giving your gutters some attention in the fall can go a long way.
- Winterize your lawnmower: Ready to put your lawnmower away for the season? Be sure to first run it until it is out of gas before storing. Leaving gas in the tank over a winter season can comprise the performance by losing some combustion ability and forming deposits from oxidization, even can cause rust in fuel lines.
- Trim trees and bushes: Trim trees so that branches don’t hang over the roof, and keep heavy, dense growth away from siding paying special attention to those plants that grow year round in the South. Trim back bushes and shrubs so that there’s plenty of room between the vegetation and the house.
- Touch up paint: Not only does this help the esthetics of the home, it also helps to seal all surfaces before colder temperatures set in. Tip – touch up small areas only as chances are the paint will vary slightly from the rest of the house.
- Check exterior doors: If the weatherstripping around your doors is old and has gaps, definitely time to replace. Use a utility knife to remove old weatherstripping and clean the surface with household cleaner. Once dry, apply new peel-and-stick foam weatherstripping to the door frame.
We know you love your home, and we do too! Contact us anytime to discuss more ways to protect your home.