How do you get your house ready for the Winter Season?

Win this toolkit. Click on the picture to learn how! Hint: valid use of duct tape wins!

Join the Handyguys in a not-so-methodical checklist for the winter season.  This is not your every day handyman (or not so handyperson) checklist.  We have some extras you may not see on other lists. Listen to the podcast as we discuss these items. True Value had all the supplies we needed to get our houses in order.

• As the days get shorter and darker, it is a good time to check all of your outdoor lights.  Make sure they work.
  

  Paul was able to discover these fancy CFLs at our local True Value. They look great don’t you think?

  Perhaps it is time to install a light with a motion detector to secure your outdoor entrances and windows.

• Also, you can now get some wife pleasing outdoor CFL lights.  You don’t have to settle on the curly cue CFL bulbs

• Watch out for leaks and/or water penetration.
  • gutters/downspouts
  • grade flowing toward house
  • clear insulation around soffit vents to avoid ice dams
• Bring in your outdoor furniture
• Replace the grates and flavor bars on your Grill.  True Value has the parts you need for this.
  

  Why not refresh your busted down grill and enjoy a few more cookouts this season. Paul picked up the new flavor bars and grate at True Value. The steaks came from the cow he bought.

• Winterize your yard tools
• Seal/weatherstrip and caulk around window and doors and latch those windows for the winter
• Insulate your unfinished basement.. especially around the rim joist
• Clean your Dryer Vent before it is too cold to work outside
• Install some heavy drapes on your windows to stop drafts.  That’ s what they did in the old days.
• Last chance for pre-winter fertilizer.
• Final chance for exterior touch up paint
• Is it time to stain the Deck in the fall?  Isn’t the sun closer to earth in the Winter?  Brian says no.  Paul says yes. Which is it?

Disclosure

Related shows:

1. Summer Home Improvement
2. DIY And Home Improvement Book Recommendations
3. Using Leaf Blowers Vs Rakes And Repairing Leaky Showers

The Handyguys provide a Springtime house inspection checklist  which you can download free of charge!

Follow this Bungalow's restoration at http://stuccohouse.blogspot.com/

Winter can be tough on houses so the beginning of the spring season is a perfect occasion to give your house an annual inspection. Check your house top to bottom, outside to inside, and look for things to add to your Honey Do List. Preventative maintenance will save money on costly repairs down the road.

The Handyguys start their inspection outside. First the roof, then grading, windows, doors, and painted surfaces. Look for anything out of place. Then move inside – start upstairs and move through to the basement. Along the way you will check out bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchen and then the basement.

Click on this image to download the checklist!

The attached document can be printed out and used as a checklist when doing your home inspection. This document is geared for a springtime inspection, but it can be used any time you want to give your house a quick once over.

Listen to the podcast before you conduct your inspection as the Handyguys Brian & Paul discuss each item on the checklist and add their commentary.

Alternatively, you can always hire a home inspector if you have concerns about the condition of your house.  Check out our show about professional home inspectors

If you have any additions for the checklist please comment. We will update the checklist periodically. If you find this useful, please consider sharing it with others. You can also click here http://www.handyguyspodcast.com/downloads/SpringInspection.pdf to download the checklist

Lastly, you can follow us on Twitter if that’s your thing. We are @handyguys and we will tweet when we are about to record our show.  We are using twitter to answer questions, solicit show ideas, notify listeners of new shows and possibly other things once we figure out how to best utilize twitter for our fans.

Thanks for you support.

Related shows:

1. Home Inspection and Selecting Plywood
2. Fall Home Improvement Checklist
3. DIY Home Movies