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After all,buying a homeis a huge accomplishment and probably the biggest purchase youll ever make.
However, the cost of owning a home can catch some new homeowners off guard.
Keep reading as we dive into four unexpected expenses you should watch out for this winter.
Most of these can be easily avoided.
Read more about seven inexpensive home improvements to make before winter hits.
If youve been renting, theres a chance your landlord covered the utility costs.
If you lived in an apartment, you might now havequite a bitmore space.
Both scenarios mean your first heating bill might come as a big shock.
Programmable thermostats allow you to set the temperature of your home based on your needs.
you’re able to also drop the temperature while youre sleeping because youll have blankets to stay warm.
Maybe itsolder windows and doors, or its a vent pipe thats not caulked properly.
Fixing these voids can help keep the cold air out and the warm air inside your home.
confirm you caulk around all your windows and that each has weather stripping installed.
Frozen Pipes
The past few winters have included some extremely cold temperatures for parts of the country.
When temperatures get too far below freezing, the chances for frozen pipes increase significantly.
This can end up being a costly expense that could have been avoided.
This will allow heat to enter, providing some protection for the pipes.
you might also turn on the warm water slightly to provide a slow drip.
This helps keep water moving, allowing it to avoid freezing.
To do this, you must ensureall the wateris removed from the water lines.
If water remains over the winter, it will freeze.
When that happens, the pipes will expand, which can cause them to crack.
This can be a costly repair once spring arrives.
Winterizing a sprinkler systemis something you’re able to do yourself if you have the right tools.
Otherwise, there are likely companies in your area that will handle everything for you.
This includes having someone come out to clean the inside.
While you might be able to do this job yourself, its extremely dirty.
Depending on where youre located, hiring someone who specializes in chimney cleaning will cost around $250.
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