The below winter home maintenance tips are from a list that American Home Shield home warranty shared, and I thought the tips were great, and I added one to the list.

  1. Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Make sure batteries are fresh. In Maryland, starting in 2018, there were new Smoke Alarm laws put into practice, so if you have detectors that don’t comply with the new laws, you should change them out! Here are details about the Maryland Smoke Alarm Law as of 2013.
  2. Have your furnace serviced. Having your furnace serviced can make your system run more efficiently, and potential problems could be found early, preventing possible issues when it’s cold this winter!
  3. Insulate pipes in unheated areas. If you have pipes running along the outside walls of your house or in a garage, or by windows and doors, insulating pipes could help prevent potential freezing of those pipes if the weather turns bitter cold.
  4. Turn Off and Cover Outside Faucets. Turn off water to an outside water source if possible, disconnect any hose from an outside spigot, and cover any outdoor faucet with a faucet cover. Here is a link to what an outside faucet cover looks like on Ace Hardware’s website.
  5. Test Your Sump Pump. If you have one in your house, test it to make sure it is working properly. AHS recommends that you pour a few gallons of water into the sump pit to make sure that the pump turns on. The average life span of a sump pump is 10 years – so it is important to check!
  6. Check Your Roof. Or have a licensed professional check it. Why? You want to make sure you don’t have any cracked or missing shingles so as to prevent potential water infiltration. Make sure the area around the chimney and roof vents are sealed properly. You also want to make sure your gutters are free of debris.
  7. Have your fireplace swept. If you have one. It is very important to ensure it is safe to use. It should be cleaned and inspected yearly!
  8. Flush Your Hot Water Heater Tank. It is recommended to be done once a year to remove sediment. If you have already done it this year, then you should be able to skip this step!
  9. Check and Fix Entryway issues. This includes rotting wood, broken concrete, loose handrails. Make sure your entry is safe – for entry!
  10. Have a prep kit! Blankets, flashlights, batteries, hand warmers, bottled water, perishable foods are all good things to have in case of emergency and you are stuck in your home due to snow or ice!

This is a great list, and I appreciate American Home Shield’s post sharing their ideas!

If you need Towson contractors or recommendations in the Baltimore real estate area to get your home ready for winter, I am happy to share recommendations!