Around the country, people are experiencing record-breaking cold weather and harsh winter elements. Winter weather poses health and safety risks, not just to individuals but also to homes. One thing your HOA can do is to promote property winterization techniques—showing homeowners how they can safeguard their homes against winter storms and icy temperatures.
Here are just a few home winterization basics. Don’t hesitate to share these with the homeowners in your HOA community.
Getting a Home Ready for Winter
- Stock your house with a few winter weather necessities, including a little bit of extra canned food and bottled water—just in case. Also, make sure you have a good snow shovel ready, and some bags of salt you can put onto your driveway.
- Make sure your gutters are completely cleaned out—and if possible, install leaf guards to keep them free and clear of obstruction.
- Remove all external hoses, and store them somewhere safe and warm. Then, apply insulated covers to each of your outdoor faucets or spigots. This will help prevent your pipes from freezing.
- Invest in some insulated blankets or tape, and add them to any exposed pipes—especially under cabinets or in basement and crawl space areas.
- Go around to all your windows and doors and see if there are any holes or cracks; if you can feel cold air coming into the house, that’s a dead giveaway. Use caulk to patch up these holes and better insulate your house.
- Add insulation to your attic; you can purchase insulation at any home improvement store and install it yourself.
- Replace the filter in your furnace. If possible, schedule a routine maintenance call from an HVAC specialist, just to make sure your heating unit is in good working order. The last thing you want is for it to die in the middle of a big winter storm.
- Make sure your fireplace and chimney are properly cleaned out; you might consider hiring a professional chimney sweep to come inspect it for you.
Spread the Word About Winterization
With the right winterization techniques, homeowners can prevent major cold-weather disasters. Spread the word, and make sure homeowners in your community know what needs to happen before the next big winter storm comes. And if you have any questions about communicating with your HOA members, contact Kuester Management Group for guidance.