California Winter Home Maintenance Checklist for South Bay Homes

California Winter Home Maintenance Checklist

California winters are mild compared to the rest of the country, but the storms we do get can still take a toll on a South Bay property. An improperly winterized home can see dry rot, roof leaks, crawl space flooding, and a real drop in energy efficiency. Coastal exposure in Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach adds salt air and wind-driven rain to the mix, which is hard on stucco, trim, and roofing. Here is a room-by-room checklist for getting your home ready, indoors and out.

Interior:

Service Your Heating System

Depending on the type of heating system you have, there are a few home maintenance tasks to handle before the storms roll in. If you have a furnace, check the filter and change it out if needed. Boiler systems should have their heat exchanger cleaned every year, and gas systems need a cleaning about every three years. Have your heating system inspected and serviced by a licensed professional annually to make sure it is working properly and to rule out any potential hazards.

Check the Fireplace and Chimney

If your home has a fireplace, make sure it is performing properly before winter. When a fireplace or stove is not maintained, it can lead to safety hazards like chimney fires or carbon monoxide poisoning. That is why it is always a good idea to have yours professionally cleaned and inspected for cracks and debris.

Check Smoke Detector and Carbon Monoxide Batteries

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, heating is the cause of 27 percent of structural fires. Make sure all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working in your home. Replace batteries once a year, or better yet, install detectors with sealed 10-year batteries so you are not relying on the low-battery chirp as a reminder. With something this important, it pays to be careful.

Reverse Your Ceiling Fans

If you have ceiling fans, there should be a switch to make the blades run clockwise. Running the blades clockwise during the colder months pushes heated air back down into the room, which makes spaces with high ceilings more comfortable.

Inspect Your Water Heater

Being without hot water is never fun. You can reduce the chances of water heater failure during winter by doing a quick inspection. Test the pressure relief valve, since this helps prevent mineral and corrosion buildup that leads to leaks and helps the unit run more efficiently. Clean the air intake screen so the burner gets enough oxygen, and if you have not flushed the tank in more than a year, now is a good time to do it.

Exterior:

Check All Windows and Doors

Walk around the outside of the house and do a visual inspection of all windows and doors, looking for gaps where the trim meets the siding. Caulk any gaps around windows or doors, open each door, and check the condition of the weather stripping. You can also check for air leaks with a lit candle, since the flame will flicker anywhere air is getting in. Maintaining weather stripping greatly improves home energy efficiency. If the issue persists, consult a window professional.

Check Your Drainage

Standing water can cause a lot of problems, from foundation erosion to crawl space flooding and puddling on your property. One simple measure to mitigate this is to make sure all gutter downspouts drain away from your home.

There are two types of standing water that cause problems on a property: surface water and groundwater. Most surface water issues can be resolved with a strategically placed surface drain, while groundwater issues usually require a French drain. Have a drainage professional identify the source of your property’s drainage issues and recommend a solution.

Inspect Your Roof

It is important to clean your roof and check its condition yearly. Start by clearing leaves, tree branches, and other debris off the roof and out of the gutters, paying special attention to valleys and other areas where debris can collect and cause leaks. Next, inspect the shingles and waterproofing components, including the seals and flashing around penetrations like pipes, vents, skylights, and chimneys. Summer heat causes rubber seals and caulking to wear out prematurely, so check these and replace any that are worn.

Trim Tree Limbs

Trees can damage roofs and siding by trapping moisture near the house, scraping surfaces, and dropping limbs. Prune them to keep them off the house. If your home has stucco siding that extends all the way to the ground, avoid foundation plants altogether, since the water needed to keep them alive can wick into the stucco and cause it to fail. Keep plants at least 3 feet away from houses with full stucco siding.

Touch Up Failing Paint

House paint is not just for looks. It also seals the wood siding against moisture intrusion. Go around your home and assess the condition of the paint, and touch up any areas that look deteriorated. If the paint is in poor overall condition, schedule a professional repainting job.

As a licensed broker and CSLB general contractor working throughout Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach, I see the same issues come up every winter on older South Bay homes: undersized drainage, dry rot around windows, and roofs that never got a proper fall inspection. Levine Homes Real Estate & Construction handles both the real estate and the construction side of these projects, so if a walk-through turns up something bigger than routine maintenance, we can help you scope the repair and get it done right.