The holiday season. Pretty lights, family gatherings and presents under the tree. But also one of the deadliest times of the year in terms of house fires.
Just because the nights are long, the days are short and the temperatures are colder doesn't mean your home maintenance responsibilities have gone away.
Let's talk about how to keep your home safe during the holidays and all year round.
- Let's start with having a functioning fire extinguisher in the house, especially if you have a holiday tree or wreath. Make sure your fire extinguisher is charged and accessible.
- With holiday lights, don't overload your circuits beyond manufacturer recommendations, especially if the outlets have aluminum wiring or are ungrounded. Use a timer to turn the lights off when you go to bed.
- Test your smoke alarms. Trees and holiday baking are fun, but also dangerous.
EXTERIOR
- If you have stucco on the exterior of your home, check for cracks. This is especially important if you have EIFS stucco, a lighter foam backed stucco material that was popular in the 1990s and early 2000s. Stucco can crack in freezing weather, and if moisture gets behind it, your issues can multiply in a hurry, resulting in costly repairs.
- Check to make sure all exterior electrical outlets have protective covers. Snow piling up against a hot outlet can be dangerous when those holiday lights are plugged in. Make sure the covers are secure.
- Clean out your basement window wells to get rid of any late seasons leaves that may have fallen. Also, make sure that if your window wells have drains that those drains are accessible and not buried under leaves and debris.
- Ensure your exterior hoses and disconnected from the faucet, and it's not a bad idea to make sure you have frost-proof covers on your hose bibs if they are older or north facing.
HVAC
- Change the furnace filter, again. This action shows up every time because it's important, both in terms of indoor air quality and because a dirty filter makes your HVAC work harder. With component prices now significantly higher than they were pre-pandemic, this is the easiest preventative maintenance items in the books.
- Winter is humidifier season in Colorado. If your furnace has a humidifier, turn it on and let is keep your house (and tree) from drying out. A 30%-35% humidity setting is appropriate for the dry winter months.
- Winter is humidifier season in Colorado. If your furnace has a humidifier, turn it on and let is keep your house (and tree) from drying out. A 30%-35% humidity setting is appropriate for the dry winter months.
WATER HEATER
- Your water heater is likely getting a workout during the winter months in Colorado. Most plumbers recommend draining it once a year to flush out any accumulated sediment or mineral deposits that have sunk down to the bottom of your tank. Remember, if you're having to heat your water through a half-inch layer of sediment, your water heater is going to work harder and likely have a shorter lifespan. There are plenty of good videos on You Tube that can show you how to do this (and don't forget to make sure the power is off if your water heater is electric!).
ATTIC
- With all that snow on your roof, take a peek into the attic and see if there is any moisture or dampness. Ice dams forming on the roof can lift shingles and lead to leaks. Check to make sure your insulation is not wet.
CRAWL SPACE
- If you're looking for moisture in the attic, might as well head down to the crawl space too. If there's snow piled up against your home or if you have poor drainage, this is the time of year when it will show up.
GARAGE DOOR
- Your garage door gets a lot of use in the winter. Make sure all hinges, rollers and tracks are properly lubricated. Also, carbon monoxide poisoning is a greater threat, especially if you're the type who likes to warm up your car in the garage (with the garage door open, please!) before heading off to work. Your garage entry door coming into the house should have a self-closing hinge and shut securely behind you whether you're coming in or going out.
Remember, this is not an exhaustive list... these are basic seasonal maintenance reminders. There are plenty of great sources online or manuals at your local bookstore that you can reference to transform yourself into a home maintenance professional.
Happy holidays!
