Winter in Port Arthur is a fun season for every family with Christmas chimes and snowfall. Everyone wishes to snuggle into their blankets with their loved ones and open tons of presents this time of the year as they enjoy the holiday. But before getting to that part, you need to prepare your home to make it easier for you to survive through those chilly winds.
Like you prepare yourself for this weather with warm cardigans and clothing, you need to make similar changes to your house. They might vary from estate to estate, but neglecting them could turn into a pressing concern real soon. That’s why businesses that offer services relevant to this season have their hands full, as people book them for a quick evaluation.
In case you need a hand, here’s an easy winter preparation checklist for your home before it hits you to equip yourself the same as others. That way, at least you won’t find yourself caught off-guard.
Table of Contents
1. Check your Air Conditioning System
First off, make sure that you can control the temperature of your house efficiently. This job depends upon the air-conditioning system of your home. If this fails, you can find yourself shivering and freezing to death during the winters.
Hire some HVAC professionals who can evaluate it for you and take care of any repairs beforehand. If they make any replacements or upgrades to the system, inquire about any warranty or guarantee for them. It will ensure that you someone accountable in case something goes south.
2. Put your Lawn Care Equipment Away
If you have a yard, then you must have some expensive lawn care equipment to look after it. The winter season is the time of the year where you will not have any use for these items, so it is best to store them away. If you are from Texas, it shouldn’t be a problem for you to find storage in Port Arthur, as they are plenty of options if you are short on space. Try and make sure that you have drained the gas before putting it away. If it is out of use for that long, the gas might not be usable anymore.
3. Close the Sprinklers and Drain Outside Faucets
The water in the lines outside can freeze inside the pipes while buried under the snow. If that happens, the lines can break, and you will have to spend on repairs once the season is past.
Avoid that by closing the sprinkler lines and making sure that there is no water inside them. Do the same for any faucets outside. It is better if you prefer using some professional help for this job, as it can cost you a decent fortune later on.
4. Check Your Drainage
Besides checking for your hot and cold water systems, try to assess your drainage lines as well. If there a lot of soil or you see that there is space for water to collect around the joints, you need to make some changes. Work on getting rid of it, as it can get saturated and freeze and thaw during the season, causing the lines to break.
Check the rain gutter downspouts the same way. If you feel that the water is dripping too close to the house or is not going away, add extenders. It will ensure that there any sources nearby for the water to collect and damage your lines.
5. Clean the Chimney & Arrange for Firewood
If your house has a fireplace, then remember that it has not been in use for a very long time. Go ahead and clean it, and look for any maintenance problems. It is better to leave this job to the professionals, as they have all the right equipment and experience.
Next, make whatever firewood arrangements you need to make in advance to use it during a cozy night. Check that the wood you are buying isn’t rotten, and make sure that you have a suitable place for storing it, like a yard. It is better if the location is a little further away from the house to avoid any issues.
6. Seal the Solid Surfaces & Cover the Patio Furniture
If there is any area that you find exposed to snowfall, you need to cover it. That includes your patio or wooded decks in front of the house. Since these places are of regular use, it can become difficult to clean them later on. Besides, they are more likely to get damaged.
If you any furniture on your patio, then do the same with it. Not taking any measures will allow the weather’s harsh conditions to damage these items. Save the cost of repairing or replacing them by doing this.
7. Prepare to Remove the Snow
Lastly, winter is the season for snowfall, so you need to prepare to remove that snow. Get your snowblower out from the storage and have it running for some time before a thick blanket of snow hits you. If you think it needs any repairs, get it done right now. You cannot expect any help from a shovel, in this case, so you better get to work.
Summary
That sums up the easy winter preparation checklist for your home, ensuring you are ready to survive this season. Cover these areas, and look for any other ways through which winter might affect you to prepare against them. It is better to get most jobs done yourself, but you need to make some exceptions since most of these tasks might be out of your league.
