Wise Winterization Prep Your Home Meridian Ranch

Wise Winterization: Prep Your Home for Colorado’s Cold Months

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It’s no secret: during Colorado’s winter months, there is So. Much. To. Do. This year, make sure a costly, inconvenient house repair doesn’t intrude on the fun. Instead, take a few hours (or less!) and accomplish some simple home maintenance items to ready your home for the cold season. Then get back to enjoying your blue-sky day.

Make Your Home Winter-Ready

It’s time to grab a ladder and work gloves and practice your pride in ownership. Here’s a list of items to check off your list to keep your home running tip-top all winter long:

Inspect the roof

This is an important step, no matter how new your home is. In Colorado, we occasionally experience summer hail storms that wreak some havoc. Don’t be caught unawares—defer to the “better safe than sorry” motto and conduct a visual inspection of your shingles.

Check for drafts

New homes have energy-efficient windows—that’s great! Even still, it’s worth a look to ensure all are functioning properly, particularly if you notice any drafts throughout the home. Replace weatherstripping where needed and plug up any other offending spaces with some caulk.

Schedule an HVAC cleaning

Want to keep your home toasty warm this winter, and your gas bill in check? Schedule an appointment with a heating and cooling professional. An annual inspection and cleaning is a sound investment in keeping your HVAC system running efficiently.

Replace air filters

If you ask three people how often you should change your air filters, you’ll get three answers. Monthly, quarterly, biannually… Take some of the guesswork out and replace autumn’s dusty filters with fresh ones today. (Helpful hint: before heading to the store, confirm the quantities and sizes you’ll need—there’s a wide variety out there!)

Prevent water damage

There’s no time like the present to prepare your home and its water supply for the cold months ahead.

Head outside to complete the following:

  • Remove all garden hoses from spigots and stow them (optional: protect spigots with hose bib covers)
  • Drain your sprinkler system
  • Inspect all gutters and downspouts and clean out where needed
  • Insulate exposed water supply pipes in unheated spaces ($10 worth of foam does the trick!)

Refresh your 9-volts

It’s a best practice for safety to replace the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors annually. It is especially important during the colder months, when the family is snug at home more often.

As temperatures begin to dip, be sure your home is winter-ready, and enjoy the season!

Meridian Ranch is Colorado Springs’ premier new-home community—a place residents are proud to call home. With year-round recreation opportunities and convenience to dining, shopping, and entertainment, there’s something for everyone. Visit us today to experience for yourself what makes this a special place.