Living in an association with shared walls makes it particularly important to properly care for your home during the cold winter months. If you plan to be away this winter, remember the following important items:
- Always leave your heat ON. Set thermostat no lower than 55 degrees
- Winterize your pipes (sinks, toilets, etc) by turning supply valves off and then draining any trapped water
- Communicate with Management and your neighbors. Emergency contacts or instructions on how to get into your unit in case of an emergency is helpful.
General Seasonal Tips:
- Check and change your furnace filter regularly. It’s recommended you do this monthly
- Have your furnace inspected and “tuned-up” for better efficiency
- Install a programmable thermostat to better manage temperature and mitigate heat costs
- If you have a built-in humidifier unit, make sure the lines are clear and filter is clean. Humidifiers can be a common source of leaks
- Manage your humidity levels. High humidity inside of the unit meeting the cold/dry exterior walls can be hard on windows and even lead to ice dam formation
- Check weather seal/strip on all doors and windows
- If you have original (wood) windows, consider covering them in plastic to help with heating costs
- Considering adding insulation to bring up your R-value
- Remember to winterize outside faucets! Turn off the supply valve and open the spigot to allow remaining water to drain out
If you’d like Sharper Management’s maintenance team to help you with any of the above mentioned items, contact Matt Froehlich. (952) 224-4777 or email matt@sharpermanagement.com.