Winter home preparation is key for Northern Virginia homeowners to ensure their homes are safe and comfortable in the cold season. That’s why Parrish Services is here with electrical, plumbing, and HVAC winter tips in Virginia to avoid emergencies like loss of heat, frozen pipes, power outages, and more.

In this article, our team provides simple steps that homeowners can take to prepare for the colder weather and have peace of mind that they’re protected against winter dangers.

Insulate Exposed Pipes

A critical part of our plumbing winter checklist is to insulate exposed pipes. This includes pipes in unheated areas like basements and garages. Because these pipes are at the highest risk for freezing and bursting, insulation is key. Use insulation foam or heat tape to protect these vulnerable areas and avoid emergency pipe repairs.

Schedule Heating Maintenance

Temperatures can drop below freezing during the Northern Virginia winter. That’s why homeowners need reliable heat. To ensure your heating system is ready to provide consistent warmth, schedule heating maintenance before the start of the season. A technician will inspect, clean, and calibrate your system to ensure it’s working properly and to help avoid breakdowns in the extreme cold.

Drain Outdoor Hoses

Leaving your hoses out during the winter can lead to exterior spigots freezing, expanding, and rupturing the water line inside your home’s walls. What’s worse is that these issues can often go unnoticed. To prevent them, drain your outdoor hoses at the end of fall before rolling them up and putting them away.

Install a Generator

Winter storms in Northern Virginia can sometimes result in power outages. To protect your safety and your comfort, consider installing a whole-home generator. These systems offer reliable backup power for your entire home so that you can still run critical systems during a blackout, including HVAC, security, refrigerators, and more.

Seal Windows & Doors

Drafty windows and doors can cause your heater to work harder than it should to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home. This results in added strain on the system, as well as increased energy bills. To improve your home’s energy efficiency, caulk and weatherstrip doors and windows to keep warm air in and cold air out.

Flush Your Water Heater

It’s important to have easy access to hot water, especially in freezing temperatures. To keep your water heater operating at peak performance, schedule water heater maintenance before winter. During the appointment, a plumber will flush your water heater to remove sediment buildup that can reduce efficiency, increase bills, and create a greater risk for leaks.

Switch to a Smart Thermostat

Especially during the winter when homeowners may have different schedules due to travel and holidays, a smart thermostat can simplify your temperature programming. These systems learn your habits and automatically adjust to reduce temperatures when you’re asleep or away to improve your overall energy efficiency without sacrificing your comfort.

Get Winter Ready With Parrish Services

No one prepares Virginia homeowners for winter better than the team at Parrish Services. As an award-winning home service provider, we’re proud to offer emergency services and reliable care for your HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems. With a team that embodies helpfulness, we work hard to ensure that your needs are met and that homeowners are informed about the issues that winter weather can bring.

Call Parrish Services today to schedule services that prepare your home for Northern Virginia’s winter.