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Pinto Carpentry

Helpful Homeowner's Guide to Get Your Home Cold-Weather and Winter Ready!

We’ve got great tips and tricks to help you reduce fire damage, property damage, and prevent accidents! Follow our helpful guidelines to ensure you create a safe and accessible home during the wintry months. That's right we’re back with another helpful guide for homeowners both old and new to help get your home cold-weather and winter ready! Learn how to protect your home from cold, damp elements both interior and exterior. 


Perform your regular water heater maintenance! It’s important to keep to a regular maintenance schedule so you don’t wind up without heat in the chilly season.  Cold temperatures can cause damage and cracks, and eventually leaks, in many appliances around your home, but especially in your water heater. Regular winter maintenance in your plumbing is vital! Give your water heater a thorough inspection for any bent, broken, cracked, or protruding components. Make sure to regularly check for leaks around and under the water heater to prevent damage to walls and floors.  Check for any filters and replace them as necessary if full of sediment.  Flush the water heater at least twice a year to reduce mineral deposits which can clog your lines and reduce efficiency. Clean out any air intake and exhaust vents from debris and consider installing mesh to keep pets from entering the exterior. Consider insulating the tank and the pipes and by proxy also extend the duration of maintained water temperature.


Hire a chimney sweep company to clean out the chimney before winter. Chimneys can become clogged with natural debris like leaves, sticks, tree needles, and even animal nests or deceased animal carcasses.  These are immense fire risks that can block outflow of smoke and ignite. Additionally, chimney sweeps will clear out the area of any creosote, a thick liquid buildup

 and natural byprodcut of burning wood that stays in the chimney until removed. It is an immense fire hazard and can ignite quickly if not maintained and removed.  Cleaning the chimney also allows for more efficiency and oxygen flow, increasing the height and duration of flames. You should clean your chimney at least once per year, but absolutely do so before starting the first fire of the year. Remember to check for drought warnings and fire bans in your area.


Clean the dryer vent pipes before winter. Your dryer’s lint trap and vent pipe are not the same thing. The lint trap is located inside your dryer and has a screen to catch lint after each load of laundry. The dryer vent is located at the rear of the appliance, and releases hot air from the dryer to the exterior of your home. When lint and other debris doesn’t get caught in the dryer trap, it makes its way into the pipes and can cause clogs on the sides.  As time goes on, this  highly combustable build-up of this material will increase risk for fires and cause significant damage. With blocked up dryer vents being a leading cause of housefires, it’s imperative you perform routine cleanings on this vent. Additionally, regular cleanings will improve the airflow and have your appliance function more efficiently.  Regular dryer vent cleanings should be done once a year.


Make sure to trim all hanging branches on trees and prune all shrubs. Snow, ice, and freezing rain can significantly weigh down tree branches and cause shrubbery to bend. Branches that are already more weak and vulnerable or touching structures are most likely to fall and cause damage. Trimming trees before inclement winter weather can also help reduce clogged gutters, blocked roadways, and other property damage. Additionally, pruning now before the growing season means trees and shrubs will grow back thicker, healthier and fuller in the spring season!  You may also consider wrapping vulnerable delicate or young trees in burlap wraps or specialized shrubbery tarps available at your local garden center. At the bare minimum, you should be trimming any overhanging branches over roadways, walkways, and rooftops.


Check all of your snow removal equipment and perform maintenance. Don’t get caught in another “blizzard of the century” without adequate snow removal equipment! Now is the perfect time to replace broken or rusted snow snovels, stock up on ice melt, and perform maintenance and tune-ups on your snowblower. Test your snowblower; it should start within 3 pulls of the starter rope if fuel powered, and you should check the fuel levels, spark plugs, etc. The snowblower’s auger should also be clear and rotate easily and be free of signs of wear and tear. Additionally, avoid the crowds and winter rush by stocking up on gravel and ice melt before the weather arrives. Have pets and small kids at home? Safe Paw Ice Melt or Safe-T-Pawis a great alternative to traditional salt melts for a kid-friendly, pet-friendly choice.  Kitty litter also makes a great grippy alternative to traditional salts and can provide necessary traction in icy spots.


Replace all exterior light bulbs and batteries and add reflectors. Give all of your exterior flood lights, motion lights, and solar lights a thorough once over and check for damaged wires, replace batteries as needed for the season, and swap the bulbs out. Ensuring clear visibility in the waning daylight hours can be vital when the winter weather comes. Frosty walkways, driveways, and lawns can be hazardous, and well-lit, clear visibility lines can prevent nasty falls and parking accidents. Mark your walkways, curbs, and driveways with reflectors to prevent driving over curbs or onto the sidewalks in snowy weather or low visibility conditions.




Please note that our books are now full for 2024, but we are now accepting appointments for 2025! At the time of publication, we’re opening our bookings for February 2025 and beyond. Please be patient as we are entering yet another busy season as well as the holidays upcoming. Our business is family owned and operated, ensuring you’ll get a personal touch, attention, and care that you won’t find with corporate conglomerates!  We can’t wait to work with you, and aim to give each customer the same personalised time and care as the next!


Looking for custom staircases and indoor handrails for your home, office, or building project? You may call us directly at 908-922-1778 to book your appointment, or reach out to us via email or any of our social media channels.  Our experienced team will measure and custom design a set of stairs to suit your needs and style choices. We can pencil you in for a personalized consultation, and ensure you receive an estimate reflecting your material choices and budget in mind.  You can rest assured that Pinto Carpentry will provide you with high-quality work backed by more than 20 years of experience.


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