Winter Maintenance For Your Home

With the winter months already upon us, it’s important to make sure your home is prepared for the colder temperatures that lie ahead. Some preventative maintenance will ensure that your home is ready for the winter weather. In particular, you’ll want to make sure your chimney and fireplace are in good condition so you can snuggle up by a warm fire whenever you want. Here are some of the most important home & chimney maintenance steps for the upcoming winter.

Have Your Chimney Cleaned

If you haven’t used your chimney in a while, make sure to schedule a cleaning before you use your fireplace for the first time. Leaves, branches, and other debris can fall into your chimney during the summer and fall, posing a major fire hazard. Professional cleaning is the easiest way to remove this debris and ensure that your fireplace is safe to use. During the cleaning, your chimney sweep can also point out any other potential safety hazards and help you fix them.

Make Sure Your Smoke Detectors Are Working

Before you light your first fire, be sure to test both your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Most detectors have a test feature that you can run with the push of a button. Be sure to replace the batteries when they run out – you need to be able to trust that these alarms will go off right away in the event of an emergency.

Prevent Heat From Escaping

As the temperatures drop, you want to ensure heat stays in your home rather than escaping outside. At the beginning of winter, go through your entire house and look for areas where warm air might escape. There are different things you can do to keep heat trapped indoors.

For example, weather stripping your windows and doors is very effective for keeping warm air in and cold air out. Additionally, you can use spray insulation foam to fill gaps between your walls and your pipes, outlets, and other fixtures. Even the smallest gaps will let out a noticeable amount of warm air, so it’s worth taking the time to seal your home before winter starts.

Move Furniture Away From Your Fireplace

If rugs, sofas, and other furniture items are too close to your fireplace, they pose a serious fire hazard. Before winter starts, make sure to move all your furniture a safe distance away from the fireplace – at least one foot is ideal. While the fireplace is on, monitor the situation to prevent any accidents.

Now is the time to schedule a winter chimney cleaning and inspection if you haven’t already. A1 Chimney is here to help you get your chimney and fireplace ready for winter. We provide service across southern middle Tennessee and the Tennessee Valley. Contact us at 931-967-3595 in Tennessee or 256-285-4895 in Alabama to schedule an appointment.