Winter storms and severe colds can wreak havoc on your home. Iced pipes, snow-covered driveways, and frozen gutters are all potential hazards. If we consider the statistics, winters can cause damage of up to $1 billion per year to US homes.

That’s why all homeowners need to have a winter home maintenance plan. A little preparation can go a long way, whether keeping the interiors warm or the exteriors safe. Here are a few maintenance tips to help you get through winter without bursts and shivers.

• Seal Your Windows and Doors

Does your home feel draughty? Do you feel uncomfortably cold in winter, despite the heating? Do your energy bills seem higher than they should be?

If so, you probably have leaky windows and doors. These are one of the most common sources of heat loss. And the good news is, they’re also one of the easiest to fix.

To seal your windows and doors, you’ll need to caulk the gaps around them. Use a caulking gun to spread a good amount of caulk around the perimeter of your doors and windows.

For best results, use a high-quality, weatherproof caulk. It will prevent the caulk from cracking or peeling over time.

• Ensure Your Water Heater is in Working Order

Your water heater works all year round, but it’s especially taxed in the winter. Cold weather can cause the water inside the tank to cool, which means the heater will have to work harder to heat it. It can put a strain on the system, causing it to break down.

To prevent this, bleed your water heater regularly to release any built-up sediment in the tank. It will also enhance the efficiency of the heater. 

It’s important to note that water heater repair is a job best left to professionals. If you’re uncomfortable doing it yourself, hire a water heater repair service to do it for you. They’ll identify potential problems and fix them before they cause severe damage.

• Maintain Your Heating System

Your heating system will work overtime during the winter, so it’s essential to check it regularly and ensure it’s in good working condition. If you have a furnace, replacing the filter every few months is crucial. A clogged filter will make your furnace work harder and could lead to a fire. 

You must also:

• Check your thermostat to ensure it is operating properly
• Tune up the heat pump at peak efficiency
• Clean the internal vents so the furnace doesn’t overheat
• Keep the external unit of the heat pump free of snow and ice
• Inspect your fireplace to ensure there are no cracks in the chimney
• If you use a wood-burning stove, make certain the flue is open when you’re using it

These are all skilled tasks that require the help of a professional, so don’t hesitate to call in reinforcements if you’re not comfortable doing them yourself.

• Don’t Neglect Your Gutters

Your gutters keep your home safe from any water damage. Therefore, they must be in good condition. During fall, leaves and other debris can build up in your gutters. Some homeowners also find critters like rodents and birds nesting in their gutters.

All these can accumulate to form a blockage that prevents water from flowing freely. As a result, rain and melting snow can overflow and cause water damage to your home’s exterior and foundation.

So, clean your gutters timely. Use a gutter scoop to take out all the gunk. Next, flush the gutters with a hose to clear any remaining dirt. Installing gutter guards is also a useful preventative method that you can try.

• Weatherproof Your Exterior Pipes

One of the most common winter home maintenance issues is frozen pipes. When the water inside the pipes freezes, it expands and puts pressure on the pipe walls. It can result in the pipes cracking or even bursting. If this happens, you’ll have a big mess on your hands, which will be expensive to repair.

To avoid this, insulate your exterior pipes with pipe insulation sleeves available at most hardware stores. You can also keep a space heater where your pipes are located or open cabinet doors to allow the heat from your furnace to reach them. You can also seal any cracks or holes around the pipes to prevent cold air from seeping in.

• Check Your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are a home’s safety system must-haves. These devices help to alert you of a fire or carbon monoxide leak, so you can take action to avoid disaster.

It’s essential to regularly test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace the batteries at least once a year. Also, vacuum the sensors to remove any dust that might prevent them from working correctly.

Since having more than one of these devices in your home is a good idea, ensuring they’re interconnected is also important. That way, if one goes off, they all will.

You can buy interconnected smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, or you can purchase a separate interconnecting module.

• Keep an Eye on Your Roof

From the scorching sun in summer to the icy winds and snow in winter, your roof takes a beating all year long.

So, you must inspect your roof regularly and ensure it’s in good condition.

Look for any missing, cracked, or damaged shingles. If left unchecked, you may have a mold problem.

Also, check the flashing around your chimney and vents to ensure it’s not loose or missing. You can do this by looking for gaps in the sealant. If you see any, reapply caulk or sealant to prevent water from seeping in.

Another potential problem is an ice dam which results from melting snow that refreezes at the edge of your roof, forming a dam that prevents adequate water drainage.

If you have an ice dam, you’ll need to remove it carefully to avoid damaging your roof. You can break it with a shovel or an ice pick. You can also use heat tape to melt the ice dam.

Conclusion

Winterizing your home may seem like a lot of work, but it’s certainly not something you can put off until next year. By taking care of these maintenance tasks, you can avoid bigger problems. Plus, you’ll stay warm and cozy all winter long.

Start now so you can enjoy winters without freezing or any repair bills. And don’t forget to grab your supplies of hot chocolate and warm blankets. 

A boat ride from Makarska is a unique adventure for all ages, and an excellent choice if you’re looking for a place to celebrate your birthday or want to enjoy the blue of the sea.

There is a rising demand for speedboats that can sail safely and quickly to popular destinations on the island. At your fingertips are the beautiful beaches of Brac, Hvar, Vis, hidden coves, and gorgeous oases to swim.

This is the reason why you should go on a trip like this.

A boat ride out of Makarska to finish your day off is a great way to do it.

Here are five things to be aware of:

1. Find a place that meets your needs
2. You can combine several locations
3. You can have a boat for you and your family and other friends
4. Skippers can be a valuable source of information
5. It’s more efficient and comfortable than large tourist boats

It is possible to join a scheduled excursion with fellow guests if you are traveling on your own or in a couple. These tours are compact and can be tailored to meet the requirements of the guests. They allow you to discover the island and its beautiful surroundings without the hassle of crowds.

A sneak peek into the Beckhams’ home has revealed a look that has swept the members of the design community off their feet. Known for her refined style, Victoria Beckham has managed to capture a true sense of elegance and luxury in her home. Thus, if you’ve always been inspired by Victoria’s style or you’re simply charmed by the lavish appeal of her plush mansion, here’s how you can recreate such a look in your own haven.

Go with a simple look

First things first, the luxurious look of the Beckhams’ home doesn’t stem from excessiveness. On the contrary, their beautiful space features a rather simple look that exudes luxury and style. Victoria has opted for a simple design, combining both classic and contemporary design elements. Therefore, if you want a home that captures the elegance of Victoria Beckham’s mansion, you should keep it simple, subtle and sophisticated.

Add a touch of marble

Marble is one of the most prominent materials in the Beckhams’ mansion, so it’s no wonder that their entire home has lavish appeal. This extravagant material is used for a beautiful fireplace, white staircase, Victoria’s bathroom and in other areas in their home. Introducing marble to your own space is definitely the perfect way to recreate the appeal of Victoria’s home. However, if you’re limited by your budget, you can also find some great marble alternatives at a more affordable price.

Accessorise in style

As already mentioned, Victoria isn’t a fan of excessiveness and clutter, so she uses just a few impactful details when accessorising her space. Silver details, such as an elegant bowl, go hand in hand with her understated backdrop. Therefore, you can follow in her footsteps and decorate your sofa with sophisticated silver cushions that will both elevate your home décor and introduce a feeling of cosiness to your space.

Choose an understated colour scheme

Mostly, Victoria’s home features an understated, monochromatic colour scheme of whites, off-whites, beiges, soft browns, greys, etc. However, she occasionally uses dark tones to create a striking contrast and break the monotony in her space. For instance, her hallway and staircase feature a soft, creamy white backdrop while the banister stands out with its dark look. She uses this subtle colour scheme beyond her walls, making most of her furniture elegant, white and made of natural materials.

Make your wallpaper textured

Wallpaper is widely used in the Beckhams’s mansion, creating stunning visual appeal. However, for a true touch of elegance, Victoria has chosen to go with textured wallpaper designs. One of the rooms features a stunning silver-toned floral print wallpaper that creates a truly elegant ambience. You can also try out this idea in your home, using it for your entire room or creating a single accent wall.

Invite plenty of light to your home

What makes Victoria Beckham’s home even more inviting and appealing is the amount of natural light that permeates the space. Big windows allow sunlight to illuminate her living space, making it seem airier, more open and welcoming. Some of her home’s slightly darker rooms seem certainly more enjoyable and bigger when brightened up by natural light. Therefore, you should definitely move your curtains to the sides and let floods of light inside, especially in your smaller rooms.

Show off your hardwood floors

Hardwood floors are definitely one of the most stunning features of the Beckhams’ sanctuary. Such elegant floors give their space a timeless look that will never go out of style. In addition, this flooring option offers high-quality and durability, which makes it the perfect choice since they have a furry family member, Coco. If you’ve been hiding your hardwood floors underneath wall-to-wall carpeting, you should definitely reveal their beauty.

Go matte in the kitchen

The Beckhams’ kitchen is certainly stunning, featuring a sleek, modern look. Cabinets and other furnishings are dark-toned while appliances match the dominant colour scheme with their black matte finish. Yet, the entire arrangement is set against a sleek steel wall, which creates a striking contrast. So, you know what to do – make your kitchen sleek, modern and matte.

The home of Victoria Beckham is certainly a stunning example of luxury that stems from simplicity. Therefore, you should take a page out of her book and design a lush haven by introducing an elegant design that combines both classic and modern features.

Ok, let’s spill some tea right at the beginning – Valentine’s Day is definitely not everyone’s favorite holiday. However, those who do love it – love it to the extent of making everyone else around them very much aware that they do. But, jokes aside, this fun little lover’s holiday gives all of us the perfect excuse to romanticize a bit and embellish our homes with some pops of color and other little décor items reminiscent of spring that’s ahead of us.

Now, while hearts, roses and XOXOs can be seen wherever you turn during this time of year, that doesn’t mean that those are the only symbols allowed to be used in Valentine’s Day décor. Au contraire! There are so many beautiful ways you can decorate your home for this holiday, you wouldn’t even believe. Let’s check out some of them.

Décor doesn’t have to be over the top

Newsflash: You don’t have to go crazy with the décor! Actually, more subtle décor pieces will make a bigger impact and look way more stylish and modern. So, instead of painting your entire home in pinks and reds and hanging little Cupids and hearts on your chandelier, consider putting up a single piece of wall art with a romantic theme, or adding just a couple of heart-shaped throw pillows and a soft throw blanket to your sofa.

Pro tip: instead of going for the already-seen red and pink heart-shaped pillows, try to get ones in Live Coral (new Pantone color of the year) and express your style and taste to the max.

Décor doesn’t have to be IN your home

Contrary to popular belief, you really don’t need to limit your Valentine’s Day décor to your home’s interior. If you’re in love and you want the whole world to know, you can romanticize your patio or gazebo! Simply hang some light, sheer curtains, add some fairy lights to create a magical atmosphere, a warm and comfortable blanket is also a must, as well as a couple of tea lights. A nice little vase with some freshly picked flowers is also a detail you can’t go wrong with, and maybe even a nice heart-shaped wicker wreath embellished with some (preferably) fake flowers.

Floral arrangement

In the “Great Gray beast February” we could all use as much spring as we can get our hands on. And what screams “spring” louder than anything else? Flowers, of course. Therefore, put together nice little flower arrangements and scatter them throughout your home to boost the romance (and your mood) and skyrocket love in the air. However, make sure you avoid expensive roses (that have, at this point become a cliché) and go for something out of the ordinary, such as field flowers mixed with Chrysanthemum or place some Hydrangea bloom in a simple, clear round bowl for the maximum touch of romance.

Limit your décor to the bedroom

To really make this holiday extra special, limit your decorating efforts to the master bedroom. Invest some money into luxurious, romantic bedding (again, you can opt for Live Coral for that extra oomph) and a big, warm duvet cover with some romantic floral print. Additionally, get some scented candles to set the mood and even place some fresh flowers in vases on the nightstands. Finally, here as well, you can use fairy lights for some extra magic or even light dimmers if that’s more your thing.

So, as you can see, whether you’re in love or not, you can give your home some pizzazz with these modern Valentine’s Day décor to lift the overall mood and welcome spring with open arms.