5 home maintenance tasks to help keep your home cozy and safe.

Is your home ready for winter? Some simple maintenance tasks can help keep your yard looking good, your home safe and your family more comfortable during the cold season. Check out these five things to prepare your home as winter approaches.

Remove or mulch leaves

Leaves in your gutter can lead to water accumulation around your home’s foundation or potentially creating ice dams on the roof. Clean out gutters after the leaves stop falling and before the snow flies.

Additionally, a heavy layer of leaves can weaken or smother turf. To keep your lawn healthy, go over the leaves with the mower. This allows the leaves to break down into mulch which will decompose further and provide your grass with nutrients.

Change the furnace filter

Keep the air you breathe cleaner, cut down on dusting and help your furnace run more efficiently by changing your home’s HVAC filter.

Consider making a calendar reminder to change the filter once a month.

Check the HVAC intake/exhaust, fireplace and chimney

To keep your home warm and safe, make sure the intake and exhaust pipes for your HVAC system are clear of debris.

If you have a fireplace, inspect the firebox and chimney for signs of damage or deterioration. Make sure the chimney cap is in place and nothing blocks the chimney. If it’s been a year or more since you’ve had a professional inspect and clean your chimney, schedule service before building your next fire.

Seal gaps around doors and windows

One way to help keep heating costs down is by keeping more heat in your home. With cooler weather, it’s very easy to find gaps around windows and doors. Replace seals and weather stripping or apply caulk, as appropriate.

Flip the switch on ceiling fans

Use of ceiling fans can help you feel more comfortable in the winter months if it’s going in the right direction. Flip the directional switch, which can be found on the fan housing, so the fan rotates clockwise. This will push warmer air near the ceiling downward.

If while doing seasonal maintenance you discover that bigger repairs are needed, consider applying for a Consumers home equity line of credit (HELOC) to finance them.

Consumers helps thousands of members finance first and second homes, land home improvement projects each year. We’d love to help you with a mortgage or home equity line of credit; contact us online or call us at 800-991-2221.