Mid Winter Check Up

Heating | Cooling | Boiler | Air Conditioning | Repair

With the winter nearly half over already, hopefully your HVAC in your home or property has been running effectively and efficiently. We hope that you had your annual heating maintenance at the beginning of the winter and that you are changing your filters and having your steam Boilers, Hot Water Boilers treated with water tablets and flushed as the manufacturer requires. If everything has gone well so far this winter heating season for you- that’s great! To continue on this path of success, you may want to give your home or property a mid-winter check-up to ensure that all things will continue to go as smoothly. What you want to look for this time of year is water. Water can come into your house three ways: from the outside in, from a source that is damaged inside the house, and water (in the form of humidity) that is in the wrong amount and/or place in or under your house. To safeguard that your home/property does not suffer water damage this season, below are a few guidelines to follow.

Water Leaks from the Outside – Rain dripping and snow melting where it shouldn’t be can be damaging to the interior of your house/property. Be sure to check your gutters and downspouts to make sure that they are clear of debris. Winter storms cause a lot of small branches and twigs to fall that can collect in your gutter system and clog. Also, make sure that your downspout is pointed away from your house/property. Downspouts that are pointed toward your house can cause ground water to collect in your crawl space or basement. Also, if you see small drips of water after rain or snow on your window sills or on the inside, outer edges of skylights, check the caulking and/or flashing to make sure they are in good shape. If not, you may need to rework the seals in order to prevent future leaks.

Water Leaks from the Inside – The cold weather causes things to contract, this is a good time of year to check and see if your house/property has slow leaks under the bathroom or kitchen sink, in the shower or tub, and in or under a major appliance such as a water heater, dishwasher or washing machine. More often that not leaks are very inexpensive to repair if discovered early enough, however leaks that are ignored, over time, can cause significant damage.

Water in the Air – Also, because your house/property is closed up during the winter months to keep heat in, it is a great time to check to see if humidity is collecting in crawl spaces and attics. If so, you may need to improve on your existing ventilation system. You will also want to check to see if your bathroom exhaust fan is working properly as well and not pushing humidity into places it shouldn’t be.

Even though we are in the dead of winter right now and most people are thinking about staying warm, it is very important to take a few minutes to check on the above outlined that may save you money in the long run. If you notice a leak in your house, give Fleet Plumbing and Heating Boiler Repair a call. We offer free estimate and are current running several deep discount programs that will help you to save money.