Prepare your Philadelphia home for winter by maintaining the following:
1. Heating:
Replace the filter on forced hot-air systems, have a licensed HVAC technician service your furnace, and have a licensed chimney contractor ensure there is no blockage or creosote build-up from wood stoves or fireplaces.
Keep your heat above 55 degrees so water pipes within the walls don’t freeze, rotate ceiling fans clockwise to bring warm air down, and maintain pellet and wood-burning stoves per manufacturer’s instructions.
2. Roof & gutters:
Inspect your roof and coat it roof every five years to extend it’s life. Clear leaves and debris from gutters to ensure proper drainage and prevent ice dams or cycles that can fall, and ensure gutters direct water away from walking paths and the foundation.
3. Utilities:
Invest in a smart thermostat that can be controlled from a smart phone or tablet and can help reduce energy costs. Insulate water pipes if exposed in unheated areas, such as an attic. Ensure your main water shut-off valve is operable in case your pipes freeze.
4. Insulation:
Ensure proper insulation in the basement and attic to prevent escaping heat, caulk windows and use weather stripping around doors to stop drafts and heat loss, remove window screens, and install storm windows.
5. Equipment:
Have your snow shovel, snowblower, and ice-melting compound ready; keep snow blower fuel away from direct heat or open flame.
6. Safety:
Outside, remove dead branches that could ice, fall, and cause injury. Inside, tighten handrails; test smoke detectors, fire alarms, and carbon monoxide detectors, and replace batteries.
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