Running water, rodents: an expert told how to properly re-open a house after winter

The main thing is to check for cracks and leaks

If no one lived in a country or country house in winter and the house was not heated, it is important to properly re-open it in the spring. TSTN technical specialist Stanislav Gapeev told MK how to do this.

Spring is a period of active soil movement, so the first thing that needs to be done when re-opening a house is to pay attention to inspecting the blind area and its basement part, and also check whether all the finishing remains in place and whether cracks have appeared.

Next, you need to check whether there are any leaks or snow blowing inside the house. Particular attention should be paid to the windows, attic and roof. Clothes, mattresses, blankets and pillows that have been inside the house may require drying and ventilation, because… During the high winter, moisture accumulates in such household items.

Separately, a seasonal inspection of the roof and drainage system is required. Here the main attention is to junctions, valleys, gables, cornices, and snow retainers. Any damage must be repaired; the roof plays a key role in protecting the house from water and leaks. The drainage system must be checked for integrity and reliability of fastening of brackets and gutters after winter snow melts, as well as serviceability of drainpipes.

The inside of the house should be examined for signs of rodents and other living creatures. If detected, try to find places of entry and eliminate them, as well as take measures to remove them from the house. By the way, one of the preservation requirements before the onset of winter is not to leave food, cereals, tea bags and other edible leftovers unopened in the house. In addition to rodents, ants, which are very attracted to the smell of food scraps, can become a very big problem in warm weather.

Another important point is the supply and start of water in the house. In modern country houses, as a rule, water is introduced into the house, so after winter it is necessary to make sure that the pipelines are tight, carry out work on servicing cleaning filters, inspect and replace, if necessary, flexible hoses, remember that the service life of the latter is up to 5 years or better replace them preventively rather than eliminate the consequences. It is also important to check the shut-off valves.

Putting a house into operation is almost like taking off on an airplane – each individual unit is turned on, its startup status is checked, and as a result, the house flies throughout the entire summer season until the fall.