5 Key Maintenance Tasks to Prepare Your Home for Winter

Is your home ready? Break out your checklist and let's run through five key maintenance tasks that will help get your home prepared to face the winter.

5 Key Maintenance Tasks to Prepare Your Home for Winter

prepare your home for winter

The days are getting shorter, the temperature is dropping and the kids have been back to school for a couple of months now. Fall is here and winter is just around the corner. The question is – is your home ready? Break out your checklist and let's run through five key maintenance tasks that will help get your home prepared to face the winter.

winterize patio furniture

Patio Furniture

The arrival of winter means you might have to close up the patio for the season. It's time to get chairs, tables and other furniture covered up or stored if you have space. The most important thing to keep in mind is to protect it from the elements. Additionally, if you want your patio furniture to last longer, a little prep work prior to storage will make a huge difference. For example, if you notice any rusty areas on wrought iron furniture, now is the time to sand those areas down and apply a coat of high quality, exterior spray paint to it. For other materials, here’s a link to a great guide to treating other common patio furniture materials: Winterizing Your Patio Furniture

Windows

Next, take some time to inspect your windows for drafts, leaks and other issues. This can be as easy as shutting them tight on a windy day and using placing your hand around the window to determine if any air is leaking in. Caulk around any problematic windows. Be sure to replace any windows which are cracked or damaged.  For more good information on winterizing windows, check out this article by Popular Mechanics: How to Winterize Drafty Windows

Garden, Plants And Flower Beds

Unless you have a garden full of robust, cold-loving plants, it's likely that you will see most of them die off as we move from autumn into winter. After this happens, spend some time turning down your gardens and other areas. This can help to move nutrients into the soil where they'll be ready to nourish new plants in the spring. Special care should be taken with disease-prone plants. According to HGTV, you should clean up any plant debris beneath such plants as they could provide hiding places for those pesky diseases and pests.

Furnace and Heating Ducts

If you haven't used it in a few months, now is the time to fire up the furnace and check your home's heating system. Trust us when we tell you to test your furnace BEFORE freezing weather sets in. You’ll thank us when you discover your furnace isn’t working properly and aren’t frantically trying to find a repairman who can get to you before the next millennium while you do what you can to keep warm in the meantime. If it seems to be in good working order, make sure you have a new filter in place. Another good idea is to clean your vents and ducts. Unless you suspect a mold or mildew problem inside your ductwork, it’s good enough to simply vacuum out your ducts using a good vacuum extension hose.

Roof And Gutters

Last but not least, don't forget to check your roof for any damage. Check the gutters to ensure they are clear of debris. Keep in mind that this does involve climbing up a ladder and physically inspecting these areas. If you're not good with heights or don't own the proper equipment, don't sweat it. Give a professional roofing team a call and have them handle the inspection instead.

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5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

It was a better experience than we could have even asked for. The entire team walked us through every step of the process. They were all very kind and professional. To everyone who helped our church find its new home; THANK YOU!

Josh Coverett

a week ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Recently purchased a home in record time. Lorrie and her team delivered on finding the best value and listening to my requirments. I strongly recomment Ramseier Realty Team to handle all of your real estate transactrions.

Rob Buehler

a year ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Just sold our home very quickly, and with no problems. Lorrie and her team were the best! They kept us up to date, were very professional, and were absolutely great to work with. My husband and I highly recommend these folks to anyone looking for a realtor!

Eudora Guinn

a year ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Thank you to the Ramseier team for all you did to make our house purchase effortless. This house will be an amazing addition to the Pivotal Point ministry.

Melissa Frakes

6 days ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

She was great, would recommend her team to anyone. She helped sale our house and our land/lot. Both sold within days without any glitches. Couldn’t be happier or more pleased with how her team performed.

zuser20140308190936384

12/06/2018

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Lorrie is great to work with and worked hard to assist in the sale of my home. She has since helped my son and a fried of my son purchase there first homes. Lorrie worked with them through the first time buyers programs to choose what worked best for them and educated them on the differences. Thanks for all the help!

jdavies8

06/28/2016

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Lorrie is awesome, she made the selling of my home easy and removed the stress by handling everything in a timely manner. She took time out of her schedule to just check on me to see how everything was going. She is a great realtor

anagle70

06/19/2018

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Lorrie Ramseier has been helping me find a home from August 2017 to May 2018. I can not recommend her and her staff high enough. She went above and beyond for us. I told her the street and several homes that I would like to own, but were not for sale. She made inquiries to those homeowners to find out if they might sell. Although, they did not, I appreciated the effort. Sometimes we worked with Emily and she was great. They were prompt with email and phone call responses and always upbeat and pleasant. What we appreciated the most was her knowledge and professionalism. I would use them again in a heartbeat, if necessary.

tonyferguson80

05/24/2018

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Lorrie and her team are the best!! Very professional, friendly and they get the job done.

Marcy Rodgers H.

07/13/2017

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Lorrie is one of the kindest and most personable people I’ve met. She was easily accessible when we needed her and always made sure our needs were met. We had the best experience selling our home thanks to Lorrie and her group.

MaKayla B.

09/29/2018

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

They worked great with my work schedule. Always friendly and out going

Lori S.

09/07/2019

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Loved working with Lorrie and Emily! Professional, friendly and efficient. The photos Lorrie had done for the sale of my home were amazing, sold my house less than 48 hours after being listed!

Leslie D.

11/05/2018

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Lorrie is great to work with and worked hard to assist in the sale of my home. She has since helped my son and a fried of my son purchase there first homes. Lorrie worked with them through the first time buyers programs to choose what worked best for them and educated them on the differences. Thanks for all the help!

jdavies8

06/28/2016

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Sold our house in 4 days! Ramseier realty is passionate, prompt and ready to do business.

Alexis C.

03/15/2017

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Great service! These gals go above and beyond to make your experience smooth and seamless, whether you are buying or selling your home. Call them for your real estate needs, you will be glad you did!

Renee F.

07/13/2017

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Lorrie and her team are the best!! Very professional, friendly and they get the job done.

Marcy Rodgers H.

07/13/2017

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Lorrie is one of the kindest and most personable people I’ve met. She was easily accessible when we needed her and always made sure our needs were met. We had the best experience selling our home thanks to Lorrie and her group.

MaKayla B.

09/29/2018

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Loved working with Lorrie and Emily! Professional, friendly and efficient. The photos Lorrie had done for the sale of my home were amazing, sold my house less than 48 hours after being listed!

Leslie D.

11/05/2018

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

They worked great with my work schedule. Always friendly and out going

Lori S.

09/07/2019

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

She is an amazing realtor! One who is more than a realtor, but in who is sincere, and goes more than the extra mile, to find your New Home, and or Business location!

Ana-Maria K.

03/03/2020

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Lorrie and her staff listed our home for sale on a Friday afternoon and had an accepted full offer the very next day! From a seller's perspective, how could anyone ask for better results! Lorrie first impressed me when she was the first to call me back after leaving messages with three other Realtors. I knew at that time, that she was sincere, motivated and wanted our listing! If I had another home in the area, there would only be one call to make to have my home listed and that would be with Lorrie at Keller Williams!

edwardjirvine

04/06/2018

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Lorrie Ramseier has been helping me find a home from August 2017 to May 2018. I can not recommend her and her staff high enough. She went above and beyond for us. I told her the street and several homes that I would like to own, but were not for sale. She made inquiries to those homeowners to find out if they might sell. Although, they did not, I appreciated the effort. Sometimes we worked with Emily and she was great. They were prompt with email and phone call responses and always upbeat and pleasant. What we appreciated the most was her knowledge and professionalism. I would use them again in a heartbeat, if necessary.

tonyferguson80

05/24/2018

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Lorrie is awesome, she made the selling of my home easy and removed the stress by handling everything in a timely manner. She took time out of her schedule to just check on me to see how everything was going. She is a great realtor

anagle70

06/19/2018

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

She was great, would recommend her team to anyone. She helped sale our house and our land/lot. Both sold within days without any glitches. Couldn’t be happier or more pleased with how her team performed.

zuser20140308190936384

12/06/2018

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

If you are looking for a great real estate agent look no further than Emily Creal. She was our “life saver” during the purchase of our new house and took so much stress out of the equation. Emily was so helpful & pleasant to work with and kept us in the loop with every step. Highly recommended!

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12/12/2018

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

I needed a quick sale and Lorrie came through! Property was under contract in five days! A small inspection issue was fixed, and closing went off without a hitch. Having never bought or sold real estate before, I was scared as could be. Lorrie’s expertise and reassurances kept me sane. Sandi’s Extraordinary organizational skills kept me abreast of “what’s next?” the whole way though. Thanks so much!

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06/12/2019

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Lorrie and her team were outstanding and I am so glad that we selected her agency to list our home. Everything Lorrie did was 5-star worthy. She presented a compelling analysis and recommendation on our listing price, she and her team were very accessible, very professional and it was a true joy to work with them. Lorrie went above and beyond on many occasions, she has excellent connections and resources which we used from closing agents, to electricians and plumbers. As the seller, she excelled in the "selling" process especially the negotiation and working to get multiple offers. She never took the easy road, always the road that provided the best outcome. Anyone can list and sell a home, but few can make the process seamless and get the absolute best price for the seller....If you are listing, you can't go wrong with Lorrie.

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12/04/2020

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

I recently listed and sold my home with Ramseier Realty Group. We received multiple offers and had it under contract within a month. Lorrie and her team are attentive and truly care about their clients' best interests. I would recommend this realty team to anyone!

Diedra Summers

2 years ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Words cannot describe how well we were guided through the entire process of selling our home and purchasing a new one. Every detail was attended to and negotiations were professionally carried out. We were always confident that we were well taken care of.

MikeRuth Weese

2 years ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Both Lorrie & Jan were SO awesome to work with during our selling and buying process! They are so friendly, willing to help, and really went above and beyond for us to make sure we had the answers we needed to all of our questions. Both of them were so patient and eager to make sure that we were happy, well informed and didn't feel any pressure. We can't thank them enough!!!

Betsy Davis

4 years ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

We met Lorrie for the first time at a property she was listing and new right away she was a person of integrity and someone we could trust to sell our home and lead us to a great new place. She did not disappoint. Throughout the process she continued to show us that she was always on top of things. Thanks Lorrie for all you did and for helping us to enjoy the process.

Rodney Mollus

4 years ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Lorrie is by far the best realtor I have ever worked with. Her staff and herself are easy to get a hold of and promptly answer any questions. She has been a blessing to myself and my parents that also just bought a home with her help.

Amanda Wheeler

3 years ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Lorrie and I are working on finding me a house in St Joseph. She went out on Superbowl Sunday in 3 degree weather to show me a house. I am an out of state buyer. Unbelieveable. Can't ask for a better realtor.

Debbie V

11 months ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Lorrie was absolutely essential to our purchase of our dream home. We were at a stand still and Lorrie represented us perfectly. We have and will continue to recommend her to anyone who wants an awesome advocate in the business of real estate. We love her and cannot thank her enough for all she did for our family. Call her! You will not regret it!

Thetaverse

4 years ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Lorrie and her team are awesome! They think of everything and are so helpful as you are in the middle of chaos trying to sell, pack, buy and move. Lorrie or someone from her team will walk you through the whole process before you start to give you an idea of how they run things. The pictures they post are great and really show off your home. Couldnt think of going with anyone else!

Matthew Wieners

a year ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Jan was very helpful and professional. She was patient with us as we look at a LOT of homes, and was there for us through the entire process - from putting in the offer all the way to closing!

Andy Arends

4 years ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Amazing professional but also personal service. This company has been there for us even after the purchase of our dream home

Rachel Rieger

a year ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Just sold our home very quickly, and with no problems. Lorrie and her team were the best! They kept us up to date, were very professional, and were absolutely great to work with. My husband and I highly recommend these folks to anyone looking for a realtor!

Eudora Guinn

a year ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Lorrie is the best realtor in town. She and her staff were very helpful from beginning to end. We will recommend Ramseier Realty Group to all our friends!

Connie Whitsitt

2 years ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

It was a better experience than we could have even asked for. The entire team walked us through every step of the process. They were all very kind and professional. To everyone who helped our church find its new home; THANK YOU!

Josh Coverett

a week ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

The whole team did an excellent job helping us to find our new home! Everyone was friendly and professional. They were very quick to respond to any questions or concerns that we had. Thank you so much!

Mary Wood

3 months ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Recently purchased a home in record time. Lorrie and her team delivered on finding the best value and listening to my requirments. I strongly recomment Ramseier Realty Team to handle all of your real estate transactrions.

Rob Buehler

a year ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

My wife and I couldn't be happier with our first home buying experience with Ramseier Realty. Excellent communication, great time management and personal attention that exceeded our expectations. We will be recommending them to all of our friends and family. A++

William Burnich

4 years ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Thank you to the Ramseier team for all you did to make our house purchase effortless. This house will be an amazing addition to the Pivotal Point ministry.

Melissa Frakes

6 days ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

The Best realtorty group that I've worked with, responsive, brings us what we asked for and showed us many houses before we finally got what we wanted. Sold our house for what we wanted and made sure the deal went through.

Daniel Hess

a year ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Lorrie and the team did a great job!

Kelly Adkins

9 months ago

5 star reviewed Realtor St. Joseph, MO

Lorrie is the best realtor in town! With her passionate, prompt, competitive and knowledgeable experience she sold our house sold in just 4 days. If you want a quick sale or a devoted realtor to find a new home, she's your gal!

Alexis Conner

4 years ago

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