We are in the thick of fall here in Lake Tahoe and as beautiful as the changing leaves and sunny blue skies are, we know winter is right around the corner. No matter where you live, weatherproofing your home for snowy, cold months is necessary. In the mountains, things can get a little intense, which means prepping your Incline Village, NV Real Estate for the elements is absolutely necessary. The best time to do them is now, as a snow storm could come at any moment and you don’t want to be scrambling in the midst of a blizzard. Here are a few ways to get prepared, and affordably.
- Make sure your storm windows are installed correctly. Have old window? Consider getting them replaced if it is within the budget. If not, caulking around older windows works wonders as does weather stripping. This prevents drafts and leaks from coming inside the home when you are trying to keep it warm.
- Save money on your energy bill by insulating your hot water heater. This prevents heat from getting lost through the sides of the water heater by 25-40%.
- Weatherproof those pipes. We cannot tell you how many homeowners have left their Incline Village, NV real estate without taking the necessary steps to keep their pipes from freezing, and it is not only a stressful hassle, it can be expensive to fix and can cause property damage. There are some pretty easy things you can do to prevent this from happening. You can heat the pipes by using electric heat tape or wrap the pipes with a form on insulation. Keep the faucets trickling water even when you aren’t using them. Open cabinets and closet doors to allow warm air to reach pipes. Long term solutions can be a big project, but these are great short term solutions, especially if you are leaving and won’t be at your property during a big storm.
- Adding extra insulation in the basement or attic of your real estate in Incline Village, NV isn’t cheap, but it yields a great return on investment.
- Stock up on all the necessary things to keep your home heated and light in the event of a storm that knocks out power. For example, wireless chargers, flashlights, extra firewood if you have a wood burning fireplace, blankets, candles, non-perishable food, board games, bottled water and books are great to have.
- Get a programmable thermostat. This is great whether you reside in your Incline Village, NV Real Estate full time or part time. The extra perk is that they take off about $200 of your annual heating and cooling bill each year.
Protecting your real estate investment in Incline Village, NV is something that is so important year round. By taking the extra steps sooner rather than later, you can rest assured you will have everything you need and won’t be scrambling or have to pay a vendor to go out and handle things for you if you happen to be away. For information on reputable vendors who can help with the above tasks, feel free to ask us. We would be happy to help!
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