Home Care - Winterizing the Exterior

Hi, I am Vince Clingenpeel. We are talking about how to winterize your home. In this clip we are doing the exterior. The first thing I would like you to do is to walk all the way around your house and look at it like you do not live there. It surprises me how many people live in the house and they really do not even see it. The things you are looking for are places that critters and squirrels can get in, in order to seal them up and just a general overall condition of the house. It is a good time to find out when you are going to need to do some maintenance. One of the things you want to do is think about your windows, you want be sure that everything is copped up good weather sealed. Another issue is the security of the window.

In the east coast, I know for sure they put storm shutters. There are companies that will put storm shutters on your house that would make a good security item. In lue of that, you can take a piece of plywood and seal it and have it dedicated for each individual window and labeled so at that of year when, that time of year comes, you can install it. Stainless steel screws would be a good choice and then you have to remember to think about your doors, doors or a bad entry point. One thing you need to consider is what kind of security you have in your doorjamb. These doors only have those two screws and this one little plate.

This particular door has a heavy backer plate with a three inch screw that provides you with plenty of security, about as much as you are going to expect to get. This is always a good idea. Another thing you are going to want to consider is your chimney. If you have one, it is good idea to get up there and check the cap. The cap is the masonry wash that keeps the water out. You do not want to go another winter with a bad cap. That is a good time to get it fixed, either by yourself or with some help and do not forget the hat. The little hat that sits on top of the flue will help secure it and keep the animals and things from getting down inside of it.

Another item you have to consider is your gutters. If you can spring for a cap, it is a real good investment to keep your gutters clean and keep them running smoothly throughout the time you are away. One more thing you need to remember is your exterior hoses and your hose faucets. We call them hose bibs. Take your hoses off, drain them, put them away. Be sure that you leave the valve open on your outside faucet. If you have a cover, it is a good idea to put one on at that point. If you are doing a total house, shut down. There is no heap of the thing to hold so it would be a waste of money but it would be a good idea in any case. That are the few ideas for you to consider for the exterior. Now, let us move into bathroom.