With the warm, sunny weather of summer quickly fading and fall in full swing, it’s time to start thinking about your winter home prep.
Whether you’re leaving a Hamptons vacation home for the winter season or are still planning on visiting The Hamptons throughout the colder months, it’s important to tackle some simple home prep for winter.
Ready to prepare your home for cold, snow and ice? Keep reading for our top tips on how to winterize a vacation home.
5 Winter Home Prep Tasks for Fall
Use these tips to prepare your home for winter easily, from your yard and property to the inside of your house.
Put Outdoor Furniture Away
From patio furniture and gardening equipment to umbrellas and pergola shades, you probably have more outdoor accessories than you realize. If these are left out all winter, they could be damaged by snow, ice, wind and even just cold temperatures.
Walk around your property and look for anything that could be stored in a shed, garage or basement for the winter. This will ensure your items are not damaged and will make for a much easier re-opening of your yard in the spring.
Identify Must-Do Home Repairs
While some home repairs can wait until spring, there are some fixes that should make your winter home prep list and get done before the cold weather comes.
Walk around your property and your home and identify must-fix home repairs to get done this fall. Look especially for projects that could worsen over the winter, such as broken gutters, a damaged roof or issues with windows and doors.
Make a list of all the important home repairs and add them to your winter home preparation checklist, and then decide how you’re going to tackle them. Look for local contractors to fix bigger issues – such as window and roof problems – or hire a Hamptons handyman to get smaller fixes done more quickly.
Decide On Home Repairs & Updates To Get Done This Winter
Not all home repairs need to get done before the winter season. In fact, some projects are better left for the winter months when you may be spending less time at a vacation home. Consider the various repairs or home updates you want to add to your winter home prep task list.
Some of the best items to get done over the cold winter months include interior home painting, flooring updates, renovation projects, furniture moving and other similar indoor projects.
Make plans for these projects in the fall – including identifying who will be working on the projects – and you’ll be more likely to accomplish them over the winter.
Turn Off Unnecessary Utilities
If you’re leaving your Hamptons vacation home for the winter and won’t be seeing it again until spring, it’s a good idea to shut off unnecessary utilities to reduce your costs and protect your home.
This is especially important when it comes to turning off your water and draining your pipes. The last thing you want to come back to in the spring is a burst pipe and water-damaged vacation home!
Consider unplugging large appliances, too, that use a lot of electricity and reduce your home’s temperature to about 55 degrees to keep things from getting too cold while also reducing your heating costs.
Plan For Winter House Watching Services
Even with the best winter home prep, things happen. Large winter storms can roll through and damage your property. Packages and mail can be forgotten and pile up at your home. And myriad other home challenges can arise in your absence.
One of the best ways to prepare a vacation home for winter, therefore, is to book house watching services. In the Hamptons, house watching services can ensure that someone is always keeping an eye on your property when you can’t be there.
House watching services ensure that a trusted professional is checking on your house regularly, looking for issues like leaks, insects and pests, chimney issues, exterior damage, low fuel levels, clogged gutters or malfunctioning security systems.
At A Votre Service, Hamptons house watching services include weekly visits to inspect your property, as well as daily visits right after a storm, electrical outage or similar issue. If a problem arises, you’ll know right away so it can be resolved – instead of coming back to a major issue in the spring.
Start Your Winter Home Prep Now
Are you ready for the colder months ahead? Whether you’re well underway with your winter home preparation checklist or could use some professional help getting everything done, A Votre Service is here to help!
Contact our Hamptons house cleaning and property management company to learn more about our winter home prep services, including gutter cleaning and window washing, handyman services, errand and accommodating services, house watching services and more.
Have questions about how to winterize a vacation home? Don’t hesitate to contact A Votre Service any time!
