It’s Time to Get Ready: Winter Tips for Homeowners

Central Indiana residents have been enjoying a truly beautiful autumn.  In addition to the stunning display of brightly colored leaves, we have been blessed with mild temperatures and pleasant weather.  In fact, I’ve caught myself believing in brief moments of bliss that this could continue right on through to spring. I’ve wondered if we could avoid the harsh Midwestern winters that drive us to retreat indoors, to semi-hibernate, and to hope that we can hold on through the long cold days of February.

But this is just crazy thinking.  Even in the best of conditions, we all know what awaits us after the festive days of Thanksgiving and Christmas have passed.  There will be days of driving in snow and slush, weeks where the sun rarely shows its face, months full of gray skies and biting winds.  While you may put off getting mentally prepared for winter, preparing your home is essential.  Here are 5 homeowner tips your house ready for a season spent mostly indoors.

Take Care of Outdoor Maintenance

The bitter cold, the ice and snow, and the stout winter winds can take its toll on your home’s exterior.  There are a few things you can do to prepare, and the mild weather makes now a perfect to do them.

• Clean out clogged gutters to avoid water damage.
• Drain and unhook your garden hose.
• Have your chimney swept to avoid fires.
• Call an arborist to remove dead branches or take down dead trees. These weak branches are vulnerable to strong winds and could do serious damage to your home, cars, or other personal property.

Tune Up Your Furnace

If there is one piece of equipment you will want running in the middle of the cold dark winter nights, it is your furnace.  And waiting until it goes out on a Saturday night at 2 am is going to cost you a pretty penny.  So the wisest thing to do now if to call a reputable heating and cooling company and get your furnace checked out and tuned up.

Keep the Chill Outside

The boundary between inside and outside becomes so much more important in the winter.  You want to keep the heat inside and the cold outside.  To keep as much warmth from escaping, seal up any cracks in your walls and cover windows with heavy plastic.  You can purchase kits in most home improvement stores to simplify this task.

Attend to Ducts and Filters

It is important for energy efficiency and air quality to always have clean ducts and regularly changed filters.  But this is especially important in the winter.  Not only are you running more air through your ducts and filters, but you also are trapped indoors where air is constantly recirculating.

Make Living Space Clean, Comfortable, and Cozy

Finally, since we all spend more time indoors in the winter, you might as well make your home as clean, comfortable, and cozy as possible.  Chances are your kids will spend more time playing on the floor since they can’t be outside.  You will probably even entertain more guests indoors than at other times of the year.  Do what you can be create a haven inside that will welcome family and friends from the ruthless cold of the outdoors.

Having clean carpet, flooring, and furniture is a great place to start.  Call Langenwalter today at 317-876-9944 and let us help you get your home ready for the long winter ahead.  We offer exceptional carpet cleaning and also clean tile, wood, laminate, and upholstery.  After our deep cleaning, your house will look, smell, and feel more inviting.  In fact, you might not even mind spending a little more time inside.  Remember us too if you experience a burst pipe or other water intrusion.  We are ready 24/7 to get your water emergency taken care of right away.