As a homeowner, there are many things to take care of on a daily basis just to ensure that you and your family have a happy, healthy and well-maintained home to live in. Dropping temperatures and wet weather brings a whole new set of responsibilities that you must think about before winter really settles in. Below are a few important general maintenance and carpet cleaning tips to get your property winter-ready.

Pressure Wash Your Deck

Your deck is sure to get a lot of use during the warmer months while you spend time with family and friends outdoors enjoying the long days and nights of summer. However, once it starts getting too cold to congregate around the barbecue, it’s time to start thinking about how you’re going to preserve your deck through the winter. The first step is to give it a good pressure washing to get rid of all the dirt, food particles, staining, mold growth and sun fading that was endured over the summer. If left to sit, the winter elements can take a harsh toll on your deck and allow those substances to leave permanent marks or begin to erode the wood. Keep in mind that if you’re inexperienced in the pressure washing department and don’t have the proper equipment, you could end up doing more harm than good.

Get a Professional Carpet Cleaning

There are a few good reasons to schedule your carpet cleaning to coincide with the coming winter. First, you spend much more time closed up indoors when it’s colder outside, which means that you’re constantly breathing in air that has been polluted from dirty carpets. If you get a deep cleaning before shutting everything up for the winter, you won’t be trapped inside with all the contaminants and will likely be able to breathe much easier. Second, appointments are easier to come by in fall and winter since a lot of people mistakenly wait until spring or summer to do their annual professional cleaning. In addition, drying times for freshly cleaned carpet can actually be shorter in cooler weather because there is less humidity and moisture in the air to contend with.

Clean the Chimney

You’re probably going to want to cozy up to your fireplace during the winter and/or use the heating system, but to make sure it’s safe to do so, your chimney will need a good cleaning first. Buildup in your chimney, remnants of debris and critters that have crawled in and made a home can lead to major problems like fires, corrosion and the release of toxic gases. Also, the chimney is where old, stale air tends to try and escape, but it won’t be able to do that if it’s clogged. Not having a proper inspection and cleaning of your chimney before putting your fireplace and heating system to use can result in a hazardous or unhealthy situation.

Have Your Roof Inspected

Having a roof inspection done before heavy rainfall, snow and ice begin to hit your area is critical if you want to avoid leaks or an entire collapse. Roofing that shows signs of deficiencies like sloping, sagging or broken/cracked/missing shingles will need to be repaired or replaced as soon as possible to ensure that you don’t end up with serious property damage and a hefty bill.

Some household duties can affect the value of your property, while others serve to contribute to your overall well-being and the safety of your living environment. Make sure your home is winter-ready by following these maintenance and carpet cleaning tips.