Prepare Your Property for the Winter Season

Prepare Your Property for the Winter Season

Winter’s chill is just around the corner, and now is the critical time to ensure your home is fully prepared for the colder months ahead. At E.J. Jaxtimer Builder, Inc., we understand the importance of proactive maintenance to protect your investment and ensure a comfortable, worry-free winter. If you haven’t already begun your winter preparations, there’s no time to waste. Our experts have compiled a comprehensive list of top tips to help you get your property ready.

From safeguarding your plumbing to maintaining your heating systems and protecting your home’s exterior, these steps are designed to prevent potential damage, reduce energy costs, and keep your family safe and warm throughout the season. Don’t wait until the first snowfall – start prepping your home today with E.J. Jaxtimer Builder, Inc.’s trusted advice.

• Add seasonal house checks to your property management plan. At E.J. Jaxtimer Builder, Inc., our professional property managers inspect our clients’ properties on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. We provide homeowners with the ultimate peace of mind, ensuring that every aspect of their valuable property is handled with the utmost professionalism, meticulous attention to detail, and a proactive approach.
• Consider installing the Leak Defense System. This system continuously monitors your property for hidden leaks and automatically shuts off the water and alerts you if one is detected. Easily control the water flow using the on-site control panel or access it on the go with the mobile app. With multiple ways to monitor, you’ll always feel protected against potential loss, expense and hassle from water damage. Also, homeowners that install leak defense systems can be eligible for a discount or Credit.
• Schedule a maintenance check for your furnace, humidifier, and air purifier. Call in a professional to make sure all are working and up to current standards. Also check all filters to ensure good air quality as you spend more time inside.
• Turn off water to outside spigots and outdoor showers, then open them from the outside to let any remaining water drain out. This will prevent frozen water within the pipes causing the water line to burst.
• Inspect your flues thoroughly. Animals such as squirrels and birds are known to make nests in flues of furnaces and water heaters. Since these flues are meant to carry out harmful toxic fumes, you don’t want them blocked in any way.
• Inspect and clean your chimney to avoid chimney fires. Unburned tar vapors called creosote build up over time and are highly flammable. We recommend having your chimney serviced once a year by a certified professional.
• Clean your gutters. Clogged gutters can cause damage in multiple ways; the frozen water can weigh them down until they sag or fall off. The water can overflow and freeze against siding causing a slew of problems. The overflow on the outside can also form icicles that droop dangerously overhead.
• Examine your roof, siding, and exterior walls. There are many places where your home can be exposed to the outside elements. Close up all openings as needed. Also check for loose shingles and replace if necessary.
• Caulk your windows and weather-strip your doors. Caulk as needed around the individual frames and around the perimeter of the window unit. Replace any faulty weatherstripping, and don’t forget a door sweep at the bottom of the threshold.
• Service your generator annually or invest in a new system. Generators provide backup power protection, safety, and peace of mind for your family or business during a power outage. 
• Check your fire extinguishers. Don’t go into the winter without working fire extinguishers and make sure everyone in the household knows where they are and how they work. We recommend having fire extinguishers throughout your house for extra protection. Fires don’t always happen in the kitchen while cooking. Electrical fires are more common than you think and can happen in any part of your house.
• Don’t get snowed-in! Check your snow blower before the first snowstorm hits. Also, always keep fresh gas on hand for the season. We also recommend installing snow stakes to prevent damage to property, landscaping, and underground utilities.

E.J. Jaxtimer Builder, Inc.’s Property Management Division provides all of these services and more to our current property management clients. To learn more about all of the services we provide, visit https://jaxtimer.com/class-services/property-management/