Sun Prairie’s Jimmy the Groundhog didn’t see his shadow this year, predicting an early spring for all those across the Greater Madison area and Wisconsin entirely.
Even if Jimmy is right, there’s still plenty of time left in the winter to get your home in tip-top, well-maintained shape.
How can you better prepare your home for the remaining weeks of winter? What are the benefits of completing your winter home repairs now rather than waiting for the spring?
W.E. Davies + Sons Remodeling, Inc. brings you the ultimate winter home repairs and maintenance checklist! And if you need help notching tasks off on your winter to-do list, get in touch with us today for our handyman services.
1. Weatherstip Windows & Doors
Are your energy bills higher this winter than in previous years? Do you feel like no matter how high you turn up the thermostat, you can never feel warm indoors?
Air gaps may be to blame, and caulking them away is among the most common winter home repairs. Our handymen can identify cracks, holes, and unwanted cold air sources and caulk them to preserve heat.
Our handyman services also include weatherstripping. By installing a narrow piece of insulating material, like metal, vinyl, or rubber, we can help you keep more cold air out and better contain your home’s warm air supply.
2. Test & Replace Smoke & CO2 Detectors
What’s next on our winter home maintenance checklist?
If you haven’t inspected your home’s smoke and carbon monoxide detectors yet this winter, now is the time to do so. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a potential threat year-round, but it’s more common during cold weather. And between winter storms, candle use, and heating system mishaps, winter fires are also a potential hazard.
When was the last time you checked the batteries on your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors?
If it’s been longer than six months, it’s a good time to switch them out. You can also test your detector by pushing the test button and checking the frequency of the chirping signal. Depending on how your unit chirps, it may be time to replace the batteries ‒ or your detector altogether.
Generally speaking, homeowners should replace their CO2 and smoke detectors every ten years (but this can vary on the manufacturer.) But installing a new carbon monoxide or smoke detector is not an easy and straightforward DIY project.
For the safety of your property and the well-being of your family, you always make sure these are correctly installed. The handymen at W.E. Davies + Sons Remodeling, Inc. can test and replace your smoke and CO2 detectors.
3. Re-Caulk Shower or Tub
Showers and bathtubs are more prone to cracking in the wintertime due to the colder temperatures. While they may not seem like a big deal, if not recaulked and sealed in time, cracks can lead to mold growth and water damage to your plumbing fixtures and the adjacent pipes.
Caulk is an adhesive material that seals shower joints (the border and corners between the tub and the tiles.) Here are the signs it’s time to recaulk your shower or bathtub:
- Cracked or dried out caulk
- Peeling caulk
- Mold growth in the shower, especially underneath the caulk
If you take lots of hot showers and enjoy steaming up your bathroom in the wintertime, it’s all the more imperative to keep an eye on the caulking in your shower. High humidity levels can cause caulk to peel, as well as mildew growth.
Our home repairs include recaulking shower and bathtub corners. One of our handymen will inspect all the showers and plumbing fixtures in your home.
4. Inspect & Repair Critter Access Points
Do you suspect some critters have taken up residence in your walls, attic, or underneath your house? It’s certainly not uncommon ‒ mice, squirrels, raccoons, and rats love to seek refuge and warmth in the wintertime.
Before winter draws to a close, notch this essential task off your winter home maintenance checklist and put an end to pesky critter infestations, once and for all!
Our handymen will inspect the inside and outside of your home for potential critter entry points ‒ big and small. With our knowledge of pest control and Wisconsin homes, we know where to look for the tiniest holes and cracks that may not be visible right away but are ideal for mice and squirrels to squeeze through.
They may seem harmless, but these pesky critters can damage the foundation of your home and pose health threats to your family. By helping you be proactive and putting solutions to work, you can keep the animals out and restore your peace of mind this winter and for the rest of the year.
Need Help with Your Winter Home Repairs?
Whether or not Jimmy the Groundhog’s prediction for an early spring comes true, there are still several weeks left of the cold winter weather for all of us here in Wisconsin.
Could you use a helping hand because your home maintenance to-do list has piled up to no end? With our professional handyman services, we’ll get the job done right, affordably, and efficiently! Contact us today to put our handymen to work on your minor home repairs or large-scale project!
