Safeguard your Glenview Home from Winter Hazards

Now that the snow is starting to make some appearances this winter, it’s time to make sure that your Glenview home is protected against the severe weather that is no doubt on its way.

A few precautions, beyond the basic weather stripping can go a long way in making sure your family and home is protected this season.

Safeguard Against Fire
In the winter, there are certain risks of fire in your chimneys, boilers and furnaces. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 25,000 residential fires are due to a fireplace or chimney failure from unburned carbon-based residue build-up in your chimney. Have an annual inspection of your chimney by a professional chimneysweep.

Another annual inspection that can keep you safe from fire is to have your furnace and boiler serviced each year to ensure they are working properly and free from defect. Always keep your furnace room clear of any hazards as well.

Protect from Frozen Pipes
Another winter danger that is actually more common than fire is water damage. Water damage occurs more often from faulty or broken pipes during the winter months when they are most likely to freeze and burst.

Ways to protect yourself from the damaging effects of burst pipes are to insulate exposed pipes, have someone check your home if you plan on being gone overnight, when you do leave for any extended amount of time, make sure you leave the heat on at least set to 55 degrees and install an automatic water shutoff system. These inexpensive precautions can save you thousands of dollars in the long run.

Outside Hazards
Ice dams, old trees and icy walks are all potential hazards to your home in our cold Glenview winters. If an ice dam forms, water can become trapped on your roof or gutters resulting in that water soaking through your roof and causing damage to ceilings, walls and more. Make sure your gutters are clean and the insulation in your attic is sufficient to stop water from getting in.

If you have mature trees in your yard, check for rotting or damaged branches. Strong winds or heavy ice and snow can cause branches to fail and collapse on your home.

It’s always a good idea to have salt handy for those days where you have icy sidewalks and driveways. If you are selling at this time of year, it’s important to make sure your potential buyers are safe from hazards around the exterior and interior of your home.

If you are thinking of selling your Glenview home this winter, contact The Marla Schneider Team. We can do a free Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) to let you know what your home is worth and help give you advice on staging your home in the winter to give your home an advantage over the competition.