Guest Author - Donna Coogan

It’s that time of year when we should begin our winter home maintenance. Begin with anything from your fall maintenance list that you didn’t get to. Then consider the ideas below:

Tighten up!

There are lots of little annoyances that can build up in a home that we tend to put up with year round. The winter season is a good time to start addressing these. You can stay inside where it is warm and knock these out one at a time.

Begin with a walk through your home and look for things that have become loose and tighten them up. This includes door hinges, doorknobs, baseboard trim, floorboards, appliance handles, switch plates, etc. Then tackle other odd jobs that you’ve been putting off. Repair any small holes that need patching, caulk the sinks and check your window blinds to make sure they raise and lower okay. Don’t forget to replace your screens with storm windows, too. This is a good time to make sure the window are working well, too.

Emergency Preparedness

No one wants an emergency, but it helps to be prepared, especially in the winter months. Make sure that you have the things you need in case the power goes out and you lose access to your utilities for an extended period of time. Gather together a flashlight with extra working batteries. Crank flashlights are really nice, because they never require batteries. If you can afford it, you may want to invest in a generator that will kick in when the power goes out and keep your house operating. Make sure all your fire extinguishers are working and practice the family fire escape plan.

Stair Safety

Safeguard your home’s entries and steps from slippery ice. Buy rock salt or special stair treads that will help keep them secure for walking. Place mats inside your home as well to protect your interiors from more slippage and the weather. You might consider an empty cat litter box or large pan to hold shoes that are wet from snow or mud.

Clean

Your home will be closed up most of the winter to keep the cold air out which means you’ll be living with more indoor air pollution than usual. Try to keep this minimized by getting rid of the dust and grime in places that you don’t clean on a regular basis. Dust off your ceiling lights and fans. Pull your refrigerator and freezer away from the wall and vacuum off their coils. Clean off any soap build up around the top of the washing machine. Clean out the dryer vents and vacuum under both appliances.

Vacuum baseboards and crown molding. Vacuum under the bed and other heavy pieces of furniture. Clean out your fan filter over your stove. This can build up muck that can cause a fire. Run a bleach & dish detergent rinse through your whirlpool tub jets. To do this, fill your tub with water above the jets. Add ½ cup bleach & 1 tablespoon of powdered dishwasher detergent. Run the jets for 15 minutes. Drain the tub and then refill with clear water. Run the jets for 10 more minutes to rinse. Drain and wipe down with a soft, clean cloth.

Keep in mind that the more you take care of your home the better it will serve you in the long run. Maintenance works best if you take care of things as they crop up, but certain things are easier to manage if you set them aside for specific times of the year. To read more about other seasonal maintence ideas, go to the links at the bottom of this page.