5 Handyman Tips to Maintain Your Home This Winter

If you don't take the necessary precautions, the cold and harsh weather of winter can quickly cause damage to your home. Winter maintenance is vital to keep your home safe and well-kept, even though doing so may appear to be a lot of labor, especially if the winter season is very harsh. 

The good news is that there are a number of handyman tips & hacks available for making this approach as simple and uncomplicated as it can possibly be. You will, of course, be required to delegate certain tasks, such as the clearing of ice dams, to trained professionals; but this does not imply that there is nothing that you can accomplish on your own.

Here are some important winter home maintenance tips that can help you take care of your home:

1. Prevent the Pipes in Your Home from Freezing.

One of the most typical challenges that homeowners encounter during the winter is dealing with water freezing inside pipes, which can cause the pipes to break. This is problematic for a number of reasons, not the least of which being the possibility that it will result in flooding.

You can, however, prevent something like this from happening to you by taking a few simple and low-cost preventative measures.

Raise the temperature on your thermostat above what you would ordinarily do. It is recommended that the temperature be set at 65 degrees because doing so will not result in a significant increase in costs and will protect your pipes from freezing conditions. Further, try these handyman tips as well: -

• Get some pipe insulation.
• If you have to remain away from your home for some time, let the faucets to slowly drip.
• Leave your cabinets open to ensure that heat travels to the exterior pipes.

2. Make Sure Your Yard Is Clear

Before the onset of any significant winter weather, it is essential to prune your trees and remove any dead branches. This is especially vital to perform if you have multiple trees that are located in close proximity to your home and vehicle. Winter storms bring with them snow and wind, which can damage trees and cause branches to break off. There have been instances where winter storms have been strong enough to topple entire trees. Targeting dead trees and branches, which are much more prone to break off, is the ideal way to begin the process.

3. Stop Any and All Cracks

It is crucial to caulk the holes and openings around door frames in order to avoid cold air from leaking into your home, which would result in an energy bill that was greater than it should have been. You may buy weather stripping and seals for a low price to install around the windows, mail chutes, air conditioners, and doors in your home that are not in use during the winter.

4. Ensure the Safety of Your Driveways and Walkways

When there is ice and snow on the ground, it is common knowledge that people have a greater chance of slipping and injuring themselves. It is crucial to keep your walks clear of rubbish because snow will cover any dips or rocks that could potentially hinder the path. You should also repair any damage to things like railings because people use them more frequently in the winter to preserve their balance or protect themselves from falling. Salt, gravel, or even kitty litter can be used to generate a grip on icy surfaces, therefore it's a good idea to keep a sufficient supply of all three on hand. This will allow you to walk more safely on icy surfaces.

5. Inspect the Smoke Alarms and Chimneys in Your Home

Because house fires are more likely to occur during the winter months, it is absolutely essential that all of your smoke detectors and fire alarms are in good working order. This is something that should be done on a monthly basis regardless, but it takes on an even greater level of significance throughout the winter. Purchasing a carbon monoxide detector in addition to fire alarms is recommended if you want to make sure that your house does not unintentionally accumulate dangerous levels of the gas. As a result of the fact that excessive amounts of insulation or enormous mounds of snow might have this impact, winter is also a season in which this phenomenon occurs more frequently.

A Few Parting Thoughts

This article provides some useful handyman tips & hacks that homeowners can apply  during the winter months. Just to wrap up, it won't cost you much money or time to check your sensors, clear your yard, seal fractures and holes, and protect your pipes from freezing. These are all the key handyman tips you can do to keep your routes safe, monitor your pipes, and avoid your detectors from going off. You will not only feel less stressed as a result of this, but you will also be able to save money for more extensive maintenance or repairs that can only be performed by a trained professional.

If you need services of an expert handyman for any kind of home improvement, maintenance, or repair needs, use Easefix homeowner app to hire one near you.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How does one become a good handyman?

Your handyman's dependability can be gauged by whether or not he is punctual, meets all deadlines, is attentive to your demands, and tells the truth. Although handymen are often referred to as "jacks of all crafts," this doesn't mean they're experts in every field.

2. How skilled are the typical handymen?

• Having the competence to operate standard power and hand tools without incident.
• Experience working on or fixing HVAC systems.
• Ability to replace and install plumbing systems.
• Able to effectively interact with both property management and tenants.
• Ability to work independently and efficiently 

3. Which are common home maintenance jobs handyman do?

Following are the 5 most common home maintenance tasks

• sewage and drainage system problems
• looking over your heating and cooling system
• maintaining a regular flushing schedule
• repairing hot water heater
• resolving frozen pipes issue

4. How do I prioritize the repairs that need to be made to my home?

Cleaning the gutters and roof should be your first priorities. Until the house is protected from water damage, no other work should be done. To prevent water from entering the home, you should inspect the flashing around every window and door (and on the roof).