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Insulate Insulate Insulate! Everyone knows to check doors and windows for drafts but did you know to check service entry points such as cable lines, gas lines and air conditioning lines coming into your home from the outside? You can also insulate indoor switches that are located on an outside wall!
· Doors
· Windows
· Service Entry Points
· Indoor switches on Outside walls
- Insulate hot & cold water pipes to prevent freezing.
- Get a service agreement for automatic delivery of fuel. Be sure the maintenance service contract provides 24 hour emergency service in the event of equipment failure.
- Protect outside oil lines so they don’t gel up.
- Keep fill locations clear so trucks have easier access and keep driveways clear as well.
- Consider having a monitoring system installed in your home.
- Clean out gutters, downspouts and their extensions. Be sure water runs away from your home.
- Check to be sure your Carbon Monoxide Alarm, Smoke Alarm and Fire Alarm are all in working order. Change the batteries, test the unit and if you have disconnected the unit, hook it back up.
- Be sure that there are an adequate number of fire extinguishers in your home.
- Make sure your furnace or boiler is in working order. Now is a good time to have it maintained. Look at all equipment in your basement, such as: furnace, boiler, water heater, oil tank, well pump, well tank, etc.
- Have your chimney inspected and cleaned by a certified and insured “chimney sweep”.
- Close up Outdoor spigots. If you are able to, turn off water access to them from the inside. Drain spigots to release residual water. Add a waterproof cap. Drain hoses and store them away.
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Check your roof.
· Flat Roofs need to be cleared of debris.
· Slopped Roofs need to be checked for cracked, loose or missing shingles.
· Add ice melt strips to any awkward roof lines.
- Get your humidifier ready. Now is the time to have it serviced, turn it on and have the pad replaced.
- Close up all interior air conditioning vents to prevent drafts.
- If you have base board heating, be sure all vents are open.