Happy Halloween! I hope you all are enjoying your day!

I thought I’d take this opportunity, as fall slips into its final weeks, to talk about some industry tips for winterizing your home. All of them are relatively simple, and keeping up on them can help you avoid some SCARY (as in potentially very expensive) house repairs.

I’ll just highlight a few things, but you can read a more detailed, complete list from HouseLogic  here.

OK, here we go:

• Cover outdoor faucets. This is a super-easy and inexpensive (we’re talking $2 at the hardware store!) step that goes a long way in preventing your pipes from freezing. Frozen pipes can mean burst pipes, which can mean water, well, everywhere. And that’s never good. Take a few minutes and a few bucks to protect yourself from that situation.
• Remove icicles immediately. Icicles on your roof or gutters can indicate ice dams — places where water backs up and isn’t able to flow and drain properly. Not removing ice dams, and not investigating the REASON they’re happening in the first place, can lead to spendy roof repairs.
• Clean those gutters. If you’ve ever noticed water pouring over the side of a gutter, it’s a sign that the gutter is clogged and needs to be cleaned. Those ill-placed waterfalls can allow water to pool near the foundation and cause problems over time.
• Seal the cracks that let cold air in. A good pro-tip is to look for visible cracks around windowsills, doorframes and dryer vents. You can do it yourself, or a handyman can help you out.
• Service the furnace. Be sure you keep up on regular service dates, and also don’t forget to replace filters when they’re due. These little things can go a long way in extending the life of your furnace, which can cost around $4,000 to replace.

Please remember that I’m always here to help, and my network of home contractors in Pittsburgh is pretty extensive. Don’t hesitate to ask if you ever need help in that arena. Hopefully this advice I’ve shared is helpful, and perhaps it will make it so that the SCARIEST things you encounter at your home this fall/winter are the spooky Trick-or-Treaters at the door tonight!