“Baby It’s Cold Outside” was written by Frank Loesser back in 1936 and the lyrics still ring true in greater Cincinnati today.  There’s still time to bundle up your home before the arctic blast.

Photo by Dan Hamill from Pexels

The current chilly weather has a lot of scrambling to find heavier clothing and cranking up the thermostat to stay warm.  

As you know winter can be hard on houses.  Many owners develop a “to do” list and stick with it each year to prep their home your home for winter.

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This year with COVID lots of people are working on their properties but forgot to winterize.  Don’t get discouraged!  Follow the suggestions below to prepare for the cold blast

1. Make sure exterior hoses are detached and if you don’t have the type of outdoor faucets that protect against freezing- turn the water off to the outdoor faucets and drain.
2. Check and repair caulking around windows and doors.
3. Remove and store any unneeded window screens.  I like to open a few windows in winter- so those screens remain.
4. Dig out your snow shovel and tune up the snowblower.
5. Check the furnace filter and swap out for a new one if the current one is dirty.  Better airflow equals better heating.
6. Buy a bag of something that melts the ice- because you know the 1st time there’s a freeze…you won’t be able to drive to the store.
7. Check the fireplace and if you have a gas starter that hasn’t been used in a long time or was acting funny at the end of last season- get it checked by a professional.   Also, does the chimney need to be cleaned?
8. If your property is vacant- get it winterized.  This is normally done by a plumber but I have seen some do-it-yourself jobs that also worked.  Even if you are keeping the heat at a decent temperature, unused water pipes have a way of doing nasty things in the winter.  It’s best to winterize and avoid surprises.
9. Finally, if your property is vacant and not handled by a management company- check to make sure the homeowner’s insurance policy covers damage that occurs during the vacancy.  Many policies do not cover empty homes and condos.

“Baby” we need to keep the cold outside in winter to protect our property- nobody wants to have busted pipes, broken furnaces, or a chimney that spews smoke into the family room. 

Winterize as much as you can today!