12 September 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – With winter approaching there are some things you should get ahead of so you don’t find yourself paying more money in the future than you already need to.
Whether it be work on your house or your vehicle, there’s no need to pay more when you can pay less.
If you have a chimney, you probably haven’t given it a thought in the last five months. Not only is it likely dirty from the last time you used it, but with storms we encountered in the spring and summer, it might have damage that you don’t know about.
“What we look for other than just a dirty flue from you burning last year, we look for damage that may have occurred during the off-season,” Swims and Sweeps President Clayton Sherwood said. “Storms, if you had limbs down in your yard, did it hit your chimney, did it crush your caps? We don’t know… We also look for deterioration and masonry.”
If you don’t have a wood fireplace and think you’re in the clear, think again.
“How many mud daubers from the great Midwest got into your chimney and created an air blockage and now your fireplace doesn’t work,” Sherwood said. “So, whether it’s wood, gas or pellet, everything really needs to be inspected so you’re better prepared before the cold cold weather hits.”
After you get your home ready for the colder months – there’s more you should get ahead of before winter arrives, like your car.
“Most of the time your parts are going to fail in extreme temperatures when it’s hot when it’s cold, so it’s a good time to prep for that,” Top Auto LLC Owner Joseph Petersen said. “Start checking your battery, check your fluids, check your tires. It’s a good idea when you do your oil change to get a good thorough inspection done with that. Just kind of all-around getting an idea where your vehicle is at before you get in the weather.”
Along with making sure your car is good to go, it’s also good to remember to make sure your vehicle is filled with gas. That’s because you can’t always prepare for the unexpected.
“That helps actually cool the fuel pump,” Petersen said. “That’s the only thing that is cool in your fuel system inside your tank. So always keep some fuel in there. Regardless, if you get stuck in the winter, you get stuck out there on the road, you want to have some gas, keep your car running, keep your family warm.”
These are only a few ways you can get ahead. Sherwood tells 27 News when it comes to your fireplace if there’s something wrong and you don’t get it inspected you could be looking at thousands of more dollars coming out of your pocketbook.