Winter is Coming

As the leaves begin to change it’s obvious that cold temperatures are closing in on us here in West Michigan. Although the fall season has been relatively mild, the first snow is right around the corner.

As the seasons change, there are tasks you can perform to make your house more secure and protected from possible damage caused by freezing temperatures and the moisture that can build up inside. Every Eastbrook home comes with a built-in humidifier to manage the moisture levels inside, but homeowners should check the settings to ensure they are working the way they should.

The flooring industry recommends that you maintain a humidity level of 40 percent to protect your hardwood floors. However, condensation can form when the outside temperature approaches 30 degrees, so as the weather gets colder be sure to adjust your humidity levels down. In extreme cold, you may need to drop all the way down to 10 percent, but 35 percent is a great place to start.

Your homeowner’s warranty does not cover condensation damage so as the temperatures outside fluctuates up and down, be sure to monitor the humidity level in your home and adjust it as necessary. Also, check for condensation on the glass when the weather gets cold and clean up any standing water found on floors and windowsills – don’t let it accumulate.

Once the temperatures begin to rise again, adjust your humidifier back to 35-40 percent to protect your woodwork. For more tips and instructions for your heating system and humidifier, please check page 41 in your Eastbrook Homeowner’s Guide.

Click here to read the information online.

There are other tasks you might want to consider to protect your home from the harsh winter weather and also to keep your visitors and family safe once the ice begins to accumulate.

Take the following steps to help keep your home comfortable and secure against the cold winter weather:

• Be sure to winterize your sprinklers to prevent damage from freezing
• Wrap your new trees and bushes in burlap to protect them from the elements
• Mark your driveways for snowplows, and for drivers, to protect your lawn
• Clean your gutters to allow rain and melting snow to properly drain
• Test your sump pump – very important to ensure it’s functioning properly
• Change your ceiling fan spin direction so warm air is pushed down
• Furnace filters should be changed every month, more with pets
• Weather stripping and caulk should be checked to prevent costly leaks
• Add stabilizer to the gas tanks of stored mowers and summer vehicles
• Be ready for winter power outages, know how to find power co. updates

There are other considerations members of our Eastbrook family can consider before the weather changes and the snow begins to fly. For more information about winter weather readiness, visit the US Government’s website, Ready.gov.

For more information regarding winter tasks and ways to prepare your home, contact the Eastbrook Homes team and let us prove why Eastbrook gives you more home for your money.