Five Tips to Winterize Your Home

Five Tips to Winterize Your Home in the Carolinas

It is that time of year again!

With freezing temperatures upon us in Charlotte, North Carolina, it is once again time to prepare your home for the winter season.

Here are five tips to help you with the winterization process.

1.  Clean out your gutters. Most leaves have already fallen by now and there’s a good chance they are clogging up your gutters!  Not only do clogged gutters affect drainage, but they are also very heavy and can cause unwanted damage to your home. Water that freezes in the gutters against your house can also create ice dams and cause water to drip into your house.

2.  Close the vents. I’m talking about the vents on the outside of your home, particularly if your home has a crawl space! Shutting the dampers on the outside of your home helps prevent the pipes under your home from freezing.

3.  Check for leaks around your windows and doors. Check out this factoid from the Allen Tate Company Blog: “According to EarthWorks Group, the average American home has leaks that amount to a nine-square-foot hole in the wall...that’s a lot of cold air coming into your home during those winter months!

4.  Disconnect hoses and insulate your spigots. Outdoor faucets are exposed to freezing temperatures during the winter, and they are a direct conduit to the pipes beneath your home. Freezing and thawing water expands and contracts, putting tremendous pressure on your pipes that could cause them to burst, resulting in costly water damage and repairs. By disconnecting hoses and insulating outdoor spigots with a foam sleeve, you’re reducing your risk of burst pipes.

5.  Set your heat to at least 55 degrees. This is, of course, if you are taking a holiday trip out of town. You may also want to turn on your faucets just enough to produce a very slow drip as another safeguard to prevent frozen pipes...and water damage!

About the Author:
Jimmy Grappone is a Realtor® living in the Charlotte area for nearly a decade. His hobbies include fishing, playing golf, watching football, and helping his clients find their way home. Jimmy is a licensed Realtor® with Allen Tate Company in North Carolina and South Carolina. He is passionate about helping his clients find shelter and having a good time along the way!

Contact the Author:
Social Media: @jimmygrappone
Online: www.jimmygrappone.com & www.itsjimmyon.blogspot.com
Email:  Jimmy.Grappone@AllenTate.com
Phone:  980-298-9385