Making your home feel festive during the holiday season can include lots of different chores or activities.
Whether that be decorating every nook and cranny, cleaning your home to be spotless, or having a constant cozy holiday aroma from holiday baking or candles, be sure these preparation tips are also on your list.
Clean and Declutter
Give your home a swift cleaning. Dust, vacuum, wipe down countertops and declutter items that may not be needed throughout your home.
Some items may be able to be stored during the holidays and brought back out once the decor is put away.
Here are some things to add to your decluttering and cleaning to-do list:
Wipe down everything
Don’t hold onto things once you choose to get rid of them.
Try to get rid of big things
Condense and consolidate
Get rid of expired items
Disposals and Drains
Stop! Don’t throw your leftover Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner down the disposal. You need to be careful while using the garbage disposal, many different foods can cause severe damage to your system.
These foods to avoid include:
Coffee grounds
Starchy foods
Bones
Nuts
Pits and seeds
Eggshells
Grease
Oil
Non-food materials
When it comes to your drains, you also need to be aware of what is getting washed down. Materials and substances can get stuck to your pipes and break down the coding, causing them to corrode.
When cleaning your drain, be sure to avoid chemical drain cleaners as they are harmful to your health and the structure of your plumbing. Instead, try a DIY solution or call our professionals for a professional drain cleaning.
Prepare For Colder Temps
Get out the throw blankets and turn that thermostat to heater mode. When the temperatures begin to drop, be sure your home is ready for whatever the forecast brings.
Be sure your thermostat is working properly and you are running it efficiently. Some tips to keep your system running well and keeping your energy bill steady include:
Keeping your thermostat at around 68 degrees. This temperature can help save energy and keep your system running efficiently.
Do not close doors or vents. Your system was made to heat your entire home, not just one room.
Don’t completely turn off your system unless necessary. It takes more energy to start up and turn off instead of changing the set temperature.
Remember humidity plays a role in the comfort of your home too.
Heater Maintenance
If you haven't already, be sure to call and schedule your seasonal heater maintenance.
Maintenance can help save time,money and energy since it helps prevent further issues with your system. Benefits include:
Saving you money on heater repair costs
Maintaining the manufacturer’s warranty of your heater
Maximizing the lifespan of your furnace
Increasing your unit’s energy efficiency
Decreasing your heating bills
Creating better indoor air quality
Providing peace of mind that your system will work every time
Get Festive
What better way to spread holiday cheer, than having your home decorated inside and out. String the holiday lights on the roof to shine bright for the neighbors and put the tree up to shine bright through the window.
Don’t wait too long till the last minute to decorate. Be sure your fall decor is up for thanksgiving and swap it out for Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa decor the weekend after Thanksgiving.
Why shouldn’t you wait? The holidays may sneak up on you, and with holiday shopping and guests arriving, you don’t want to miss a beat.
The holidays should be a time for love, gathering and cheer. Don’t let plumbing and HVAC problems put a wrench in your holiday plans. Call Mark Carpenter Plumbing at (575) 222-2551 for all your plumbing and HVAC needs.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)