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Fall and Winter Preparation- Top 7 Things to Do As the Season Changes!

fall and winter preparation

The cold weather is right around the corner in Gwinnett County! To ensure a smooth Fall/ Winter transition, you must prepare your home accordingly! Although the temperatures aren’t freezing yet (but who knows with our Georgia weather!), it is better to be prepared ahead of time, than to be stressed out last minute in the crisp winter air! By doing a little Fall and Winter preparation around the inside and outside of your rental home, you will be ready for the season change in no time!

Indoors

Prevent Cold Air from Circulating

Since you will most likely be spending most of the winter season indoors, it is important to have everything inside in working order. Start by checking all windows and doors for drafts. If a draft is found, purchase a draft stopper at your local home improvement store. By blocking the draft from entering your home, your A/C unit will not have to work as hard, and your electricity bills won’t be so high from losing warm air. Another way to avoid losing warm air is to put your ceiling fans in reverse. Not many know, but if there is a switch on your fixture, that switches the direction of the fan, which pushes the warm air down, instead of circulating the cold. Who knew?!

Additional Warmth Tricks

If your heat simply isn’t doing the job this winter, don’t fret! Our winter preparation ideas will keep your home warm all season, without shooting your electricity bill through the roof! Switch out your thin, sheer curtains for thicker, insulated curtains. A lot of cold air can come off the windows and by hanging insulated curtains, it is extra warmth being kept away from the chilly windows! Also, be sure to swap out your summer bedding for cozy fleece bedding! There is nothing worse than waking up in a freezing room in the middle of winter, but with insulated curtains and a big fleece blanket, you won’t have to worry! Check out these cozy bedding options for your Gwinnett rental! 

Outdoors

Landscaping

No one wants to be outside in 32-degree weather preparing their home for the first Winter snow! With that being said, take an afternoon to knock out these few outdoor winter preparation tasks. Start by trimming overhanging trees, limbs, and shrubs. During the windy winter months, they could cause potential damage to your roof and other(s) property if the tree limbs die and fall!

Pipes, Hoses, and Spigots

Another important component of Fall and Winter preparation is draining your hose and its pipes, to prevent them from freezing. Exterior faucets should be properly drained, closed, and covered before the first freeze arrives, or they might crack or burst! Make sure you detach your hose and cover the spout for the season. You can use an old rag to wrap around the spout, or you can purchase an inexpensive faucet cover from any local hardware store. Covering your exterior faucet will successfully prevent any potential disasters during the wintertime.

Another crucial tip for Fall and Winter preparation: Once the temperatures drop below or around freezing at night, it is recommended to let an indoor faucet drip overnight, to prevent the freezing of your interior pipes. Although they are not as susceptible to freezing as the exterior pipes, the water inside the pipes can become frozen and cause further problems down the line.

Behind the Scenes Check

HVAC System

There are a few crucial winter preparation tasks for the inside of your home that you can’t forget about! Most importantly, start by checking your HVAC system filter. Failure to regularly replace your air filters can result in a frozen system. The last thing you want during this winter is a failed A/C unit. If the filters aren’t changed in a suitable amount of time they can deteriorate and end up costing you money, that you could’ve potentially avoided spending! Not only could it freeze the system, but dust particles in the air also become unable to be filtered, which causes the air in your home to become unsanitary and polluted. Keep your HVAC units clean and serviced regularly to prevent issues in the colder winter months.

Check out this video on how to change your HVAC filter in less than two minutes!

Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors/ Thermostats

Checking your alarms and detectors is another crucial aspect of winter preparation! With the holidays and all the cooking and baking that is going to be coming up, it is important to check all your monitors and thermostats to ensure they are working properly. The last thing you want is your thermostat to go dead in the prime of winter, or even worse, your C02 detector not catching a gas leak! Check what kind of batteries your detectors use and replace them before the first snow to avoid any potential problems this winter!

Fireplace

If you have a fireplace, it is crucial to ensure it is ready to use by the winter season, for obvious reasons. Check and make sure the flue is open and free of debris. If you have a wood-burning fireplace, gather some wood before the freezing weather to save yourself the hassle later down the road. Don’t forget to make sure your alarms and detectors are in working order before you light your first fire of the season to guarantee no potential problems!

This season change, we want to ensure all of our residents are doing all they can for Fall and Winter preparation! By doing just a few things here and there, your home will be ready for the season in no time!

If you are looking to purchase a rental property in the Gwinnett area and need some professional management assistance, contact us today and we will be glad to guide you through the process!

 

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