Winter Maintenance Checklist

While most professionals recommend changing yoru filter each month, Winter is a great time to start the habit if you've skipped a few months. HVAC's often work overtime during the cold months. As we spend more time inside we create more dust to clog the filter.

Warm air rises to the ceiling while colder air sinks to the floor. Changing the direction your ceiling fan to pull the cold air up and mix with the warm air can help keep your home more comfortable. Especially in homes with vaulted or high ceilings.

Winter is a great time to cut back trees and bushes as the sap has been pulled back down to the roots. It's also a great time to cut back ivy as poison oak and poison ivy seems less potent.

Pull out and deep clean the dusty refridgerator coil and/or freezer coil to reduce enerygy consumption and prolong lifespan of your appliances. Check and dust/vacuum bathroom fans to help reduce moisture in bathrooms. If the shower is on, the fan should be too!

Double check drains and pipes for slow flow or clogs. Clean pipes with good water flow are less likely to freeze over in the winter. 

Pop your head up in the attic and crawlspace if you have one to double check the condition of your insulation. Replace or fill in where insulation is missing to improve energy effeciency. If your attic has blown in insulation measure to see if it's 10-14 inches deep as recommended by professionals.