With each passing day becoming colder, one has no choice but to accept that Winter will soon be upon us. With that being said, it would be worthwhile to implement some of these astute tips for your home this Winter.
CEO of Greeff Christie’s International Real Estate Mike Greeff says, “Keeping your home in tip top condition will always be to your benefit. As adults, we spend most of our time in our homes when we are not at the office or running errands, as such, it is worthwhile to ensure that you are updating your property for the impending Winter season.”
Follow this checklist for your property:
Check that your windows and doorways close tightly to ensure your home remains insulated
Nothing is worse during the cold months than a home that is not properly insulated. Make sure you insulate your property by checking for open cracks and gaps throughout the house and windows. This could be in the case of windows that are left slightly ajar and over time are unable to be closed properly due to warping or failing structural integrity. Inspect all doors around the property that could have suffered wood loss as a result of worn off wood caused by friction over the years. The benefits to having your home properly insulated will result in less measures taken to ensure the property remains heated and will also likely have an effect on your electricity bill in terms of lowering costs. Installing door seals and weather strips are a cheap and effective method of sealing openings which will result in huge savings in the long-term.
Inspect your roof and check for damp around the home
Once you have checked and ensured that your home is properly insulated, move on to your roof and be sure to check that is has been properly maintained and has not sustained any damages that require repairs. If the roof or parts of it require maintenance, be sure to get this done before the cold really sets in and makes the repair work more difficult. While you are at it, check in and around the property for any signs of penetrating or rising damp as well as condensation. Damp areas could point to signs of a more serious issue and cannot be ignored as it will most certainly affect the state of your property as the rainy season sets in. Damp can lead to significant damage to paint, tiles, piping, wall structure and a host of other problems if not dealt with immediately and effectively.
Clean out your fireplace and stock up on firewood
Fireplaces can be a most welcome experience during Winter. It does not require the use of electricity and wood is relatively inexpensive to stock up on. Be sure to make time this Autumn season for a deep clean on your property’s fireplaces by clearing out fallen embers and wood ash that have accumulated over time. Ash can be a prime suspect in allergic conditions and prolonged exposure may lead to respiratory ailments. Be sure to clean in every nook and cranny of the fireplace including an annual chimney sweep in order to get the greatest amount of the dirt out. Whenever possible , try to use alien species of trees as firewood. This means saving indigenous trees and solving the problem of encroaching species. Remember, it is not safe to start a fire indoors if the property does not have a chimney for smoke and fire emissions to escape. Failing to do this will certainly be harmful to your health and the health of those around you.
Clear out your gutters around the home
Gutters around the home are designed to channel rainwater away from the roof and structure as quickly and efficiently as possible. Be sure to clean out your gutters around the home so that you are not left with a faulty drainage system that prevents rainwater from draining properly and results in a build up of stagnant water. This could lead to gutters losing their structural integrity as well as the stagnant water turning into a breeding ground for bacteria and insects. In 2018 Cape Town, experienced considerable rain fall and can likely expect similar conditions for this year, so be sure to clean out those gutters be as prepared as possible.
Following these tips will go a long way to keep the Winter chills at bay and could even make the months ahead, the most pleasant yet.