January Home Checklist:

The weather is fluctuating. Lucky for us, we'll have a bit of warmer weather this week. This is the perfect time to take a look at your home before the cold returns.

Here is our checklist for you:

1. If practical, insulate any pipes exposed to the cold.
2. Seal any leaks that are letting cold air in, especially around dryer vents and pipes and where electrical wiring enters the house.
3. Search for uninsulated water supply lines in the attic, garage, basement and crawl spaces and in bathroom and kitchen cabinets adjacent to outside walls.
4. During a cold spell, open cupboard doors in the kitchen and bathroom so the home's heat can reach them. (Reminder: Put harmful household cleaners out of the reach of children.)
5. Keep doors shut tight in the garage and outside closets and cupboards during freezing weather.
6. When temperatures drop below zero, open both hot and cold faucets a trickle to relieve pressure in the pipes.
7. Locate your home's water shut-off valve; learn how to turn off the water quickly in case a pipe bursts.
8. If you'll be gone in freezing weather, even overnight, ask a friend or neighbor to check on your house for broken or leaking pipes. Show them how to shut off the water.
9. Keep temperatures inside the house at 55 degrees or above, night and day, even when you're gone.
10. Check your furnace filter monthly in the winter to see if it needs replacing.
11. Use a vacuum-cleaner tool or a long-handled brush to clean under and behind the refrigerator, including the coils.
12. Clean lint from under laundry appliances, especially the dryer, carefully work the cleaning tool down into the lint filter; outdoors, clean the dryer vent outlet, reaching as far as possible into the pipe.
13. Examine the ducts of your forced-air furnace and seal any leaks with duct tape.

Not only will this protect your home, it could also reduce your energy bill. Maintaining your appliances with regular care could also extend the life of them.

If you are considering a new home project, please contact us: www.incrediblebuilders.com