JJ Hampton Realty

O: 254-965-4717
M: 254-592-3480
[email protected]
Texas Real Estate Commission Information About Brokerage Services
Texas Real Estate Commission Consumer Protection Notice
  • Home
  • Property Search
    • Featured Properties
    • Comanche County
    • Eastland County
    • Erath County
    • Hamilton County
    • Hood County
    • Palo Pinto County
    • Parker County
  • Resources
    • Buyers and Sellers
    • Financing
    • Mortgage Calculator
    • Market Reports
    • IDX Sitemap
  • About Us
    • About J.J. Hampton
  • Reviews
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

Tips for Preparing your Home for Winter

Here are ten tips to help you prepare your home for winter:

1) Furnace Inspection
•Call an HVAC professional to inspect your furnace and clean ducts.
•Stock up on furnace filters and change them monthly.
•Consider switching out your thermostat for a programmable thermostat.
•If your home is heated by a hot-water radiator, bleed the valves by opening them slightly and when water appears, close them.
•Remove all flammable material from the area surrounding your furnace.

2) Get the Fireplace Ready
•Cap or screen the top of the chimney to keep out rodents and birds.
•If the chimney hasn’t been cleaned for a while, call a chimney sweep to remove soot and creosote.
•Buy firewood or chop wood. Store it in a dry place away from the exterior of your home.
•Inspect the fireplace damper for proper opening and closing.
•Check the mortar between bricks and tuckpoint, if necessary.

3) Check the Exterior, Doors and Windows
•Inspect exterior for crevice cracks and exposed entry points around pipes; seal them.
•Use weatherstripping around doors to prevent cold air from entering the home and caulk windows.
•Replace cracked glass in windows and, if you end up replacing the entire window, prime and paint exposed wood.
•If your home has a basement, consider protecting its window wells by covering them with plastic shields.
•Switch out summer screens with glass replacements from storage. If you have storm windows, install them.

4) Inspect Roof, Gutters & Downspouts
•If your weather temperature will fall below 32 degrees in the winter, adding extra insulation to the attic will prevent warm air from creeping to your roof and causing ice dams.
•Check flashing to ensure water cannot enter the home.
•Replace worn roof shingles or tiles.
•Clean out the gutters and use a hose to spray water down the downspouts to clear away debris.
•Consider installing leaf guards on the gutters or extensions on the downspouts to direct water away from the home.

5) Service Weather-Specific Equipment
•Drain gas from lawnmowers.
•Service or tune-up snow blowers.
•Replace worn rakes and snow shovels.
•Clean, dry and store summer gardening equipment.
•Sharpen ice choppers and buy bags of ice-melt / sand.

6) Check Foundations
•Rake away all debris and edible vegetation from the foundation.
•Seal up entry points to keep small animals from crawling under the house.
•Tuckpoint or seal foundation cracks. Mice can slip through space as thin as a dime.
•Inspect sill plates for dry rot or pest infestation.
•Secure crawlspace entrances.

7) Install Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
•Some cities require a smoke detector in every room.
•Buy extra smoke detector batteries and change them when daylight savings ends.
•Install a carbon monoxide detector near your furnace and / or water heater.
•Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they work.
•Buy a fire extinguisher or replace an extinguisher older than 10 years.

8) Prevent Plumbing Freezes
•Locate your water main in the event you need to shut it off in an emergency.
•Drain all garden hoses.
•Insulate exposed plumbing pipes.
•Drain air conditioner pipes and, if your AC has a water shut-off valve, turn it off.
•If you go on vacation, leave the heat on, set to at least 55 degrees.

9) Prepare Landscaping & Outdoor Surfaces
•Trim trees if branches hang too close to the house or electrical wires.
•Ask a gardener when your trees should be pruned to prevent winter injury.
•Plant spring flower bulbs and lift bulbs that cannot winter over such as dahlias in areas where the ground freezes.
•Seal driveways, brick patios and wood decks.
•Don’t automatically remove dead vegetation from gardens as some provide attractive scenery in an otherwise dreary, snow-drenched yard.
•Move sensitive potted plants indoors or to a sheltered area.

10) Prepare an Emergency Kit
•Buy indoor candles and matches / lighter for use during a power shortage.
•Find the phone numbers for your utility companies and tape them near your phone or inside the phone book.
•Buy a battery back-up to protect your computer and sensitive electronic equipment.
•Store extra bottled water and non-perishable food supplies (including pet food, if you have a pet), blankets and a first-aid kit in a dry and easy-to-access location.
•Prepare an evacuation plan in the event of an emergency.

Related

Filed Under: Blog

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Featured Properties

11980 Fm 2210 E $1,850,000

11980 Fm 2210 E Bridgeport, Texas

3 Beds 3 Baths 4,016 SqFt 95.911 Acres

14010 Fm 3025 $1,399,900

14010 Fm 3025 Stephenville, Texas

3 Beds 2 Baths 1,830 SqFt 11.751 Acres

6501 S US Highway 281 $950,000

6501 S US Highway 281 Stephenville, Texas

4 Beds 3 Baths 2,223 SqFt 10 Acres

1250 County Road 242 $799,900

1250 County Road 242 Dublin, Texas

4 Beds 4 Baths 3,449 SqFt 10.660 Acres

920 Horsemans Drive $625,000

920 Horsemans Drive Stephenville, Texas

2 Beds 2 Baths 1,958 SqFt 9.420 Acres

1467 US Highway 67 $555,000

1467 US Highway 67 Stephenville, Texas

4 Beds 2 Baths 2,511 SqFt 4.890 Acres

211 County Road 451 $437,000

211 County Road 451 De Leon, Texas

3 Beds 2 Baths 2,232 SqFt 1.540 Acres

1650 W Overhill Drive $282,500

1650 W Overhill Drive Stephenville, Texas

3 Beds 2 Baths 1,924 SqFt 0.240 Acres

595 Private Road 1608 $225,000

595 Private Road 1608 Stephenville, Texas

3 Beds 1.1 Baths 1,984 SqFt

971 N Clinton Street $166,500

971 N Clinton Street Stephenville, Texas

3 Beds 1 Baths 1,148 SqFt 0.254 Acres

850 Private Road 1729 $1,200,000

850 Private Road 1729 Stephenville, Texas

23.800 Acres

TBD Co Road 290 $730,000

TBD Co Road 290 Rising Star, Texas

200 Acres

13640 Farm Road 3025 $645,000

13640 Farm Road 3025 Stephenville, Texas

7.900 Acres

TBD CR 473 #7 $235,718

TBD CR 473 #7 De Leon, Texas

17.790 Acres

5605 County Road 176 $190,115

5605 County Road 176 Stephenville, Texas

8.090 Acres

Buyers & Sellers

Find My Perfect Home
Let’s find your perfect home today!

What is My Home's Value?
Discover your home’s true value

Help Me Relocate
Let me help you find your new home

Get In Touch

Direct: 254.965.4717
Cell: 254.592.3480
Email: [email protected]


Top Producer Award 2015

RSS Inman News

  • Let’s talk data: leverage the ‘secret’ tool of Fortune 100s
  • The Big Bend Group leaves Coldwell Banker for Keller Williams
  • How masterminds helped this office close 13,400 transaction sides
  • Mortgage rates fall to 5.10% in biggest drop since 2020
  • Pending home sales hits slowest pace in nearly 10 years
  • Senate narrowly confirms Sandra Thompson to lead Fannie, Freddie regulator

Contact J.J.

Direct: 254.965.4717
Cell: 254.592.3480
Email: [email protected]
2291 Northwest Loop
Stephenville, TX 76401


Real Estate Site Map

Copyright © 2015 All Rights Reserved