Next week officially kicks off the holiday season with Halloween. This means that your home will soon open its doors to a host of family members and friends, but the question is, will your home be ready?

Much like its owners, a house can undergo some wear and tear after the holidays are over. It’s nice to have people over celebrating various occasions but no one looks forward to repairs in the aftermath. To make sure you head off the potential risks, here are six ways you can prepare your home for the visitor influx.

Safety First:

When was the last time you did a safety inventory of your home? If you’re having guests over, run through your home to check for areas that could be a potential safety hazard. A few things to look for:

  • Broken locks on windows
  • Unsecured doors
  • Loose stair railings
  • Crooked or broken tiles
  • Uneven flooring

What might not be an everyday problem could be a hazard to unsuspecting visitors. You’ll want to secure these areas so even the most accident prone people can continue to enjoy themselves.

 

 

 

 

Fixtures & Cabinetry:

You know that handle that’s a bit slippery or that you have to jiggle just right to open? Let’s not forget that drawer that’s too stubborn to open on the first tug. Fixing it has probably been on your to-do list for some time but you just haven’t found the time. Don’t wait until a family member accidentally pops it off before you replace it.

Small projects like this can be finished in a weekend and it will be worth the sacrifice once you make it through the holidays with all your knobs and cabinets intact.

Plumbing:

A temperamental toilet is no one’s friend. So when your guests go to press the flush lever, whatever is going down, should stay down. Making sure your kitchen and bathroom plumbing systems are in good working order is more than a courtesy – it’s a necessity. Not only are you saving your guests from discomfort, but you can think less about the possible messes that could happen.

Energy Efficiency:

Regardless of which energy provider you have, you can expect some billing spikes when family and friends are over. Unless you plan to sit around in candlelight, more people will mean higher energy usage. While you can’t expect everyone to follow strict conservation guidelines, you can make sure that everyone is using energy more wisely. Put these things on your to-do list:

  • Make sure your walls, attic, and basement are well insulated
  • Check your doors, windows, and other exit points for air leaks
  • Upgrade to Energy Star windows
  • Replace standard light bulbs with CFLs
  • Change out standard thermostat with more accurate electronic models.

You can also visit the Green Home Guide for more ways to make your home more energy efficient in time for the holidays.

 

We want these holidays to be something you remember for all the right reasons. If you have any questions about the projects discussed in this post, leave us a comment or find us on our social networks. We would love to answer your questions.

Happy Holidays!