Cooler temperatures will be here before you know it, and the warm days of summer will seem like a distant memory. Better Business Bureau serving Central East Texas (BBB) and The United States Department of Energy encourage homeowners to conduct a home energy assessment to determine how slight corrections could make your home more energy efficient and likewise lower energy costs and reminds consumers to have a “Although he National Weather Service is predicting warm and dry conditions for our area this winter,” Mechele Agbayani Mills, President and CEO of BBB Serving Central East Texas said. “It’s still important to perform a winter assessment to make sure your home is prepared for cooler temperatures.” BBB offers these tips when preparing your home for the colder weather: Schedule HVAC maintenance. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, preventive maintenance can help save you up to 25% in energy costs. Heating contractors near you can help you professionally service your heating unit. Clean those gutters. A buildup of leaves and other debris can cause your gutters and downspouts to not drain properly. Improper draining can make water spill over your gutters which can lead to foundation/basement damage and damage to your fascia boards. In the winter, ice dams can form that can let snow melt underneath your shingles. To get a listing of gutter contractors near you, visit BBB.org.
Inspect your roof. Damaged or loose shingles can let in water and ice during the winter which can create interior damage. Visit BBB.org to get a listing of roofing contractors near you.
Test your smoke and carbon dioxide detectors. Making sure these important safety tools are in proper working condition is easy and vital to ensuring the safety of those in your home. The National Fire Protection Association offers great information on installing and maintaining smoke alarms. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has information on carbon monoxide detectors.
