Here in Southern Oregon, we had our first morning in the twenties and it reminded me that it is time to batten down the hatches and prepare for the cold winter ahead. Winterizing your home and investment properties can save you thousands of dollars. Whether your tenants take care of some of these responsibilities or not it is good to be aware and be prepared.  I run through the checklist below but also do an overall inspection of the property while I’m there to look for any other issues.

  1. Gutters and Roofs –   It’s always a good idea to inspect the condition of the roof and give the gutters a thorough cleaning before the rain and winter weather hi
  2. Landscaping –   The landscaping should be trimmed back away from structures to prevent damage from scraping or falling branches. Make sure you don’t trim the plants back further then is recommended for that particular species.
  3. Freezing pipes – Weatherize your outdoor water spigots, drain and turn off your irrigation system, and disconnect garden hoses.  Insulate pipes that are coming into the house if they are not all below ground. Freezing pipes shouldn’t be an issue on the inside of the house here in southern Oregon but if it did get extremely cold it wouldn’t be a bad idea to leave a slow drip in a couple of faucets. 
  4. Heating and air conditioning units – Regularly service your heating and air conditioning units to keep from having extra wear and tear, this applies any time of year. 
  5. Hot water heaters – When the temperature drops the hot water heater has to work harder to keep the water hot. Ensure there are no leaks and everything is in proper working condition.   
  6. Fireplaces – Keeping warm and cozy by the fire this winter? Make sure you don’t have a flu fire by having your chimney cleaned and inspected annually. 
  7. Sump pumps- Is your property prone to flooding? Ensure that your sump pump is working or you may end up with a wet, soggy, and potentially expensive repair.

The time for winter maintenance has snuck up on us again. Good luck with all of your winterizing, please let me know if there is something I should add to my list.