Is your home prepared for winter?
A lot of people like to think they’re pretty handy when it comes to keeping our homes in tip-top shape, but as we get closer to winter, there are things people may miss.
General manger of First Call Jewel heating and air conditioning Bob Bidstrup said he sees accidents that could be prevented all the time.
“Some of the things that happen are like with furnaces and that kind of stuff. Everything was fine last year, but over the summer a bird might have gotten into the vent or wasp will build a nest in there. You don’t know that that’s happened,” said Bidstrup.
Even though it is good to have a professional inspect your home, experts say that doesn’t mean there aren’t things you can’t do yourself.
“One of the big things people can do is clean out by the furnace,” he said.
Don’t block your furnace with laundry or boxes. this could cost you in the long run.
“New circuit boards and things like that get rather costly,” said Bidstrup.
Who would want to waste money on something that could be prevented with something a simple as checking your water heater? It’s something simple that Fire Marshal Ken Anderson said can prevent a catastrophe down the line.
“It follows the laws of physics, but I don’t think it’s something that people understand,” said Anderson.
Neglecting your home appliances can lead to fires, which Anderson said can sneak up on you, leaving only a limited time to evacuate your home.
“From ignition time to total devastation in a room is two minutes and 15 seconds,” he said.
Prevention is key with proper care and maintenance. There are a few things you can do. Check your gas lines and your water pumps. Change your air filter, and the batteries in your smoke detector.
