Home maintenance tips for fall and winter
Cleaning out gutters filled with fall leaves before winter hits (Soeren Stache/picture alliance via Getty Images) / Getty Images)
Fall is here, and that means it's time to get your home ready before the cold and ice show up. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has a list of advice for homeowners to prepare for the upcoming season.
Getting your home winter-ready
What you can do:
The BBB is putting out a reminder that homeowners should be tackling a home maintenance checklist before winter sets in.
Some of the things the BBB stresses to get done before the ice and snow arrive include:
- Cleaning out your gutters
- Testing your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
- Inspect your driveway to see if it's in need of repair
- Schedule HVAC maintenance to save money on heating costs
- Protect your pipes, such as insulating them in unheated areas
- Sweep your chimney before using it
- Stock up on your winter supplies like salt or ice melt and shovels
- Put away your patio furniture and other outdoor things that might be impacted by winter weather
- Test your backup generators
- Review your household plan in case of an emergency.
A full and detailed checklist of winter preparation can be found on the BBB's website.
Tips and reminders
What they're saying:
It's important to make sure that you hire the right people to help you with jobs around your home. If you need a contractor to get the work done, the BBB says to look for businesses that follow its Standards for Trust and BBB Accreditation Standards. Your local BBB can also help you find businesses you can trust in your area.
They have resources for finding gutter servicing contractors, roofing contractors, driveway repair contractors, heating contractors, chimney sweeps, and more.
Some general tips from the BBB for finding a reliable contactor include doing your research with the BBB Business Directories, asking for references, reviewing previous work done by the contractor and seeing what others said about it, and getting multiple quotes for the service.
The BBB also has a home maintenance HQ where you can learn more about keeping up with your home through the seasons.
The Source: Information for this article comes from multiple articles from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). This report was written from Eden Prairie, Minnesota.