Prepare Your Home for Winter

Winter?  In Florida? Yeah right! We know what you’re thinking, “how much preparation for winter is really needed in Florida?” The answer: More than you think.

It hasn’t snowed in Florida in years and we don’t expect it to snow anytime soon (thank goodness; that’s why we live in Florida, afterall). However, parts of Florida do get the occasional freeze and we want to provide you some tips to protect your greatest investment: your home. Yes, we are saying that you should prepare your home for winter even in Florida.

• Get your air conditioner maintained. Regular maintenance is crucial to the health of your air conditioning and heating system. Schedule your maintenance in the winter to make sure your A/C system is clear of debris and build-up before you turn on your heat.
• Trim any branches that hang over your home.
• Have your roof inspected for damage, corroded flashing, or leaking vents.
• Have your air conditioning filters changed. We can do this for your during your regular maintenance.
• Clean humidifier plates or pads to get optimal efficiency and reduce the humidity in your home.
• Clean out your gutters.
• Make sure your ducts are properly sealed and insulated.
• Reverse your ceiling fans to create an updraft that will push heated air into the room.
• In the event of a freeze, turn off exterior faucets to protect your pipes from bursting.
• Check for drafts in windows and doors and get them sealed.
• Drain the water heater and clean out debris.
• When the weather is cool enough to open your windows, cycle your heat by turning the temperature way up and run it for 5 minutes. This burns off any dust/debris that builds up on the heat strip that causes a burnt odor.