ServiceMaster of Rochester offers home winterization tips for residents in Southeastern Minnesota. A few minutes taken in the Fall can mean safety for your family and will keep your home maintenance up to date. Here is a list made just for you and your family:
- Check your heating system. If you have not had a qualified HVAC company inspect your heating system recently, it may be a good idea. Set
your thermostats in all zones to “heat” and to the winter schedule. - Clean your gutters. Leaves and debris can build up and will only complicate things when ice and snow arrive. Cleaning your gutters will assist in proper drainage and reduce the chance of ice dams.
- Clean your chimney. If you have a wood-burning fireplace, now is the time to clean your chimney. This will prevent a chimney fire caused by excessive buildup. And, if you haven’t already, order your firewood.
- Caulk and seal cracks. This includes your driveway, foundation, around windows and doors, and any other places water can get in when it should not.
- Disconnect hoses. Hoses attached to a frost-free spigot are a leading cause of water damage when left attached for the Winter. This leads to improper drainage which causes the pipe to burst internally, causing your home to flood the next time you use the hose. ServiceMaster of Rochester is the area’s leader in water damage restoration services if you need assistance.
- Check your home's drainage. Look around the outside of your home to make water moves away from the foundation. This will reduce the chance of water seeping into your home when the frost goes out in the Spring.
- Drain your lawn irrigation system. If you haven’t already, properly drain your lawn irrigation system to prevent freezing.
- Reverse your ceiling fans. By switching them to clockwise rotation the ceiling fan will pull air up and circulate the warm air through the room more efficiently.
- Prepare your snow blower for use and winterize your lawnmower. Prepare your snow blower by checking belts/chains, grease appropriate fittings, and fill the fuel. Winterize your lawn mower by adding a fuel stabilizer to the gas tank. Many people change the oil in the Fall so you are ready to run in the Spring.
- Clean, Clean, Clean. Remember, a clean surface looks nice longer and is less likely to grow mold. A good Fall cleaning can improve the environment you live in and make it healthy for everyone!
ServiceMaster of Rochester is your local, family-owned restoration and cleaning franchise that has been serving the Rochester Area since 1973. We support our community every day and look forward to serving you if the need arises.
Call ServiceMaster of Rochester at (507) 204-3820 for all of your restoration and cleaning needs.
