Kirby Cox's Calgary Real Estate Blog

It's a new year, it's a new month and it's a new season—a cold one! With winter upon us, there's some crucial maintenance tasks you should tackle at home that will set yourself up for success the rest of the season (and probably save you money too). 

• Protect your pipes: as we already know in Alberta, temperatures can get very cold in the winter. You can help prevent the opportunity for a burst pipe by insulating your outdoor pipes. You should also be familiar with where your home's water shut-off valve is so you can turn off water quickly in the event of a burst pipe. Other things you can do to prevent water pipe bursts in the winter, is to ensure your heat is on enough at all times to keep your home warm. Many people drop their home's temperature when they aren't home to conserve energy, just make sure you don't turn it off completely. 
• Keep snow build-up off your trees: when heavy snow accumulates on trees surrounding your home, it can cause branches to break, which is a big problem for your home if one is positioned too close. Knock the snow off your trees before it becomes problematic. Even if a branch misses your home, it could fall onto the street, a car or even a person. Be proactive in preventative measures here. 
• Check your detectors: heaters and fireplaces are being used a lot this season (especially with looming cold snaps), so it's very important to ensure that all your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are in proper working order. .
• De-clutter: this may seem like a daunting job, but cutting clutter from your closets, junk drawers, pantry, etc. will help free up a lot of space and bring a sense of calm to your home. This is a great way to start the year, and will make cleaning a lot easier (which you'll want to do this month as well). Just think, when was the last time you cleared out your pantry or fridge?
• Store away holiday decorations: time to take down all those holiday decorations, and be sure to store them in a manner that will make decorating easy come next holiday season. And be sure to recycle your Christmas tree too at one of the City of Calgary drop-off locations. 

Good luck getting your home in order for the rest of winter and stay warm!