Preparing Your Home for Winter

Photo: trip-suggest.com

A few years back we had some especially cold days for New Mexico.  I remember the weather report, a monotone voice spewing words steadily from my car radio, something about “record lows” and “2 degrees.”  I wasn’t thinking about freezing temperatures or that I should be worried I turned off the heat for the zone associated with our spare bedrooms on the second floor, I had a busy day of work ahead.

Fast forward 10 or so hours when I finally arrived home (my wife was out of town so I had worked late).  I was greeted, to my horror, by water gushing from the kitchen ceiling!  Once I shut off the main water valve, I inspected the damage. Water had poured through the wall for hours causing damage to the ceilings, floors and walls on all three levels of my home.  A pipe running through the baseboard heat vent in one of the spare bedrooms upstairs had frozen and burst.

A combination of below freezing temperatures, location of the pipe (along an outside wall), and the fact that I turned off the heat to the room, created the perfect conditions.  To add insult to injury, it wasn’t until closer inspection that I realized the damage was made worse by an unforeseen leak in the heat exchange inside the hot water tank, forcing excessive amounts of water from the tank through the heat system.  An expensive lesson to learn which demonstrates that even in New Mexico with milder climates it’s important to be diligent and make sure you are doing everything to prepare your home for winter.  Here are some of my top recommendations you should consider, especially if you live in areas of the state that get colder temps and or snow fall.

Inspect your Roof, Gutters and Downspouts

Often taking the simplest measures will prevent the biggest damage to your home—and your bank account!  Your roof and foundation can be the most expensive areas of your home to repair so maintaining them is crucial, especially during the colder months.

Photo: albuquerqueroofersnm.com

Let’s be honest, how many of us actually get on our roof or know what to look for if there is damage? Having your roof inspected for loose or damaged tiles and shingles is key to keeping the rest of your home safe and sound, and in this case, dry and warm! Get your roof inspected once a year and or learn from a professional how you can maintain your roof yourself.

Helpful Tip: Learn about your roof, here.  Don’t know what kind of roof you have?  Find out, here.

We all know gutters are important, but cleaning them is one of those chores that we all hate. Plus, living in an arid state like New Mexico, your home may not be surrounded by trees and cleaning them can easily be forgotten altogether. In colder months clogged gutters can fill with ice, which can cause damage to your roof, the gutters themselves, and your foundation.  For example, if your downspouts aren’t navigating water away from your foundation properly you run the risk of the soil expanding and contracting around your foundation.  This can cause devastating destruction to your home and even lead to flooding.

Photo: ikon.com & buyersask.com

Helpful Tip: If you have a basement make sure all floor drains are clear to minimize water damage in case of unexpected flooding.

Insulation & Plumbing

A well-insulated home is important to keeping it efficient, but it isn’t just about saving money on your energy bills.  One of the biggest concerns during the winter months, especially in colder climates, are freezing pipes.  In order to make sure your pipes don’t freeze like mine did, make sure you one, understand how your heating system uses the plumbing in your home; two, insulate any exposed plumbing pipes; and three, drain your air-conditioner pipes.

Photo: roadrunnerairconditioning.com & danielshvacnm.com

Do you have an attic? Making sure that your attic is properly insulated will keep too much heat from escaping your roof, and in turn keep ice dams from building up.  This will keep you from making costly repairs to your roof from water damage and mold growth. Learn more about ice dams, here. If you have an AC water shut-off valve, turn it off!

Helpful Tip: Going on a vacation?  Don’t turn off the heat, set it to at least 55 degrees in order to decrease the risk of pipes freezing.

Heating System

Getting your HVAC system inspected is important to maintaining a healthy home.  Things to focus on are, leaky ducts, cleaning or replacing filters, carbon monoxide checks, and inspecting pipes. No matter what kind of heating system(s) your home uses, it’s important to have a professional inspect it once a year to make sure there aren’t any issues that could cause problems.

Photo: danielshvacnm.com

Helpful Tip: If you have an older water heater which is not insulated, invest in a water heater blanket to save energy.

Seal Air Leaks

Did you know that about 20% of the energy used to regulate the temperature in your home can be lost to air leaks? Look for small cracks and crevices on the exterior of your home and seal them. Seal up windows and door; don’t forget the skylights!  Use weather stripping, draft stoppers or door sweepers, and non-vinyl black-out curtains to keep the heat in and the cold out. A word of caution, the more sealed your home becomes the more important it is to control the air quality; consider a heat recovery ventilator if your home is sealed up tight.

Photo: howtohomeinsulation.com

Helpful Tip: Learn how to do your own air leak tests, here.

Fireplace & Chimney Care

Nothing is more comforting than snuggling up to a fireplace or wood burning stove during the colder months, but don’t forget that fireplaces and chimneys need a bit of care before you enjoy long nights in front of the fire. Whether you have a gas or wood burning fireplace, here are some maintenance suggestions to keep in mind when the weather starts to get brisk.

The cause for most fireplace related fires are usually due to chimney neglect.  If you use your fireplace regularly during the winter season you should get your chimney inspected and cleaned.  Getting your chimney swept will remove any creosote and soot build-up from regular use.  Make sure your damper opens and closes properly.

Photo: rooftopchimneysweeps.com & chimneykings.com

Helpful Tip: If you chop your own wood, start preparing your wood pile in the spring and summer so that your wood can season properly. Always make sure to store wood in a dry place away from your home.

Maintaining your gas fireplace is much easier than a wood burning one, but just because they burn cleaner doesn’t mean you can skip on getting them inspected and serviced. Things to consider doing to prepare your gas fireplace for the winter season: clean the inside including the ceramic logs or brick and or replace if necessary; check that the blower and the pilot light are operating correctly and free of residue; clean and repair the glass doors; and lastly check the outdoor vent.

Helpful Tip: Ask your heating professional to check your gas fireplace at the same time as your heating system.

Prepare your Landscaping Equipment

We go to great lengths to make sure our landscaping is just so, spending money on fancy equipment and or working tirelessly on days-off mowing, planting, pruning, and weeding.  Here are a few suggestions to help save money and time by properly caring for your landscaping related equipment before winter.

You most likely won’t need your lawn mower until spring so drain the gas tank in order to avoid it getting clogged.  Drain water from outside hoses and store away indoors to ensure longevity, insulate any outside taps and winterize your irrigation system (if you have one) to keep them from freezing. Not sure how to winterize your irrigation system?  Watch this helpful video.  Want to blow out your sprinklers? Watch this helpful video. Lastly, prepare any tools you may need for the winter, like snow shovels, blowers, ice scrapers, and de-icing salt or sand gravel.

Helpful Tip: Bring in potted plants to protect them from harsh weather. 

You may have stopped reading this to go find your main water shut off valve (you should know where it is!) but if you're still reading, I hope that this list of recommendations helps you care for your home and that you stay safe and warm this winter.

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Keys to Real Estate Wealth in Rio Rancho and Albuquerque – by David Apodaca, Associate Broker and Owner of Southwest Realty.  My goal is to help people buy, sell and invest in real estate,and provide individuals with the keys to real estate solutions. 

Keys are important in real estate—keys not just to the door to your home, but keys that are the knowledge on how to gain wealth by investing in real estate.  It can be as simple as maintaining your own home (maintaining its value or adding value), or investing in rental properties (individual houses or multifamily complexes like duplexes or fourplexes).  Knowing what to do and understanding the local real estate market are both keys to gaining personal wealth.

I can provide you with the necessary information so you can make more informed decisions—so that you can have the keys to unlock your potential wealth.  If you have any questions about real estate or the real estate market in Rancho, Albuquerque, Bernalillo, Placitas, Corrales, the East Mountains, or the Jemez Mountains, Sandoval county or Bernalillo county, contact me today.  505-270-0302, David Apodaca.

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