Preparing Your Home for the Winter

moveinwinter

Moving into a new home in Chicago and becoming a first time homeowner brings about a lot of responsibility when it comes to taking care of and providing proper maintenance of your residence.Moving can be a challenge, but a lot of the work comes down to making sure that your home is protected and that you provide the necessary effort to keep in ideal condition.Most people however, overlook the effect that changing seasons and weather can have on a house, as weather can corrode and damage the house in significant and sometimes unforeseen measures.At The Professionals Moving Specialists, wants to make sure that after we help clients move into their new homes, they get the help and knowledge of taking care of the home especially during the rough winter seasons.The best thing to do is by preparing your home for the Winter and to stay vigilant, the following winter tips below will help you stay ready for the upcoming winter season, and the random and debilitating weather that is often associated.

Outdoor Maintenance

-Repair Sidings: Siding stability is important to maintaining the strength and durability of your home.Make sure that your house sidings are properly inspected and that their is no evidence of damage or leakage that could cause potential abrasive damage in the future.If there is damage evident, the typical repair job involves using a primer or sealant in order to ensure that your sidings are waterproof and capable of protection during the rigid winter months.

-Repair roof shingles: The maintenance of roof shingles is also very significant in making sure that your home is properly protected against the ravaging weather experienced during the winter months.If there is evidence of cracking, or other kind of damage make sure to repair the shingles.Roofing nails and cement are effective in sealing and filling in any cracks in your roof shingles.

-Clear brushes and weeds from around your house: During winter storms typically outside brush and weeds are forcibly thrown around causing abrasive damage to the outside of your home.The collective damage can create scrapes and scratches along your house sidings.Make sure to trim all bushes and weeds around your property before the winter season begins.

Indoor Maintenance

-Reinforce Windows: Window screens and the windows themselves can be seriously damaged during the ravaging of winter storms.Tears and rips in window screens can occur as a result of the influx of heavy winds and this can in turn cause damage to the windows themselves.It is recommended that you replace your current window screens with storm windows.

-Check batteries in all alarm systems: Make sure that all of your alarm systems are working fully and efficiently.It is extremely important, especially during instances of heavy winter storms, that all of your alarm systems are working to prepare against any unexpected emergencies that may arise.Make sure that all of the batteries in these systems are fresh, so that in the event of a fire or carbon monoxide link, you are properly protected.

-Store Outdoor Furniture: Outdoor furniture must be stored indoors during the winter season.Winter storms can wreck havoc on all outdoor furniture including tables, chairs, and benches.Make sure that all of your outdoor furniture is stored in a secured area where it will not be damaged by prevalent winter storms.To this effect, also make sure if you have an outdoor pool it is properly drained.

At the Professionals Moving Specialists we want to make sure that you take all of these precautions into consideration, as they are important for preparation against the upcoming winter season.Winter storms can bring about unforeseen complications and damages to your home, and it is important to be properly protected and secure.Just remember that your work is not done simply after you finish moving.Home-ownership is a big responsibility, at we at the Professionals Moving Specialists, want to make sure you’re prepared for that challenge.And to prepare for your big move as a new homeowner Contact The Professionals Moving Specialists, for all your local moving in Chicago Metro Area.

The Illinois Movers' and Warehousemen's Association

IMAWA

We, The Professionals Moving Specialists, are fully licensed and certified.  While this may sound impressive, they are only words of a page.  So what exactly do these words in relations to us as a company and you as a consumer?

Basically being licensed and certified is a guarantee of our honesty and ability.  In order to get the credentials, the company has to go through an approved and recognized association.  Here at The Professionals, we are associated with the Illinois Movers’ and Warehousemen’s Association.

The IMAWA was founded in 1906.  For over a hundred years, they have been servicing the Illinois area and helping moving companies.  Not only do they provide education, but they serve as a liaison to the government as well.  They help both large and small businesses, educating them when needed and aiding them with any problems to ensure only the best work in the Illinois area.

The main purpose of IMAWA is to help the customers.  They provide these services for the company not only to help them be the best they can be, but also to guarantee that the consumers are getting the help they paid for.  Along with brochures and various media references on how to choose the right mover, they also have consultations if needed.

The association works very closely with the government.  Some examples are the Illinois Department of Agriculture which deals with warehousing, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration which is involved with interstate moving, and the Illinois Commerce Commission which regulates moving in general.

Having existed for so long, the Illinois Movers’ and Warehousemen’s Association did not get its current name until 1953.  Instead, they cycled through various other names before finally deciding that this was the one that best fit their purposes.  Currently, 80% of all licensed movers in Illinois are part of IMAWA.  About 44% of all these companies have been with the association for twenty-five years or more.

The best way to avoid getting swindled by a fraudulent moving company is to make sure they are properly licensed.  If the information isn’t on their website, then contact them and ask them to provide the information.  It may seem tedious, but the information is there for you, the consumer.  Legitimate companies want you to know that they can be trusted.  Fraud companies rely on the fact you might not want to bother.

The Professionals Moving Specialist are proud to say that we are licensed by the Illinois Movers’ and Warehousemen’s Association.  Look us up before you hire us and see some of the reviews that were given about us.  We have nothing to hide.

Finding Internet During a Move in Chicago, IL

INTERNET&MOVING

Nowadays, we are addicted to the internet.  We have the internet on our laptops, our phones, our eReaders, our mp3 players, etc.  Check your wi-fi connection and about 20 different routers pop up.  Using the internet is so ingrained in us when we lose it, we become lost and disconnected?  What do you do when you can’t look up gifs of flying cats or update our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter every 3 minutes?

In fact, the lack of internet can very well be one of the worst things about moving in Chicago, IL.  Forget about the mess of packing.  What’s the point if you can’t tweet about it?  Well, during that week or so you don’t have internet, check out some Wi-Fi hotspots to hold you over.

Fast Food Restaurants

Most specifically, go to McDonald’s.  Yeah, the food isn’t exactly healthy, but they have free Wi-Fi and that’s what counts.  Krispy Kreme has free Wi-Fi as well.  Other places like Wendy’s and Burger king operate on a store to store basis.  Some provide free internet while others don’t.

Bookstores

We all know Barnes & Nobles has free Wi-Fi and that’s basically the only big name book store left.  They also have a Starbucks and the workers won’t give you the death glare if you sit for hours between the shelves browsing the internet.

Parks

Wi-Fi is literally inescapable.  The issue isn’t finding it, but finding a public one.  Many parks now have Wi-Fi.  Also, if you are an Optimum customer, you can access their Wi-Fi at any time.  And of course AT&T Wi-Fi is everywhere as well.

Libraries

With libraries, it’s a toss-up if they have Wi-Fi or not.  The older, less modern ones most likely will not.  However, libraries are still guaranteed to have internet.  You’ll just need a library card which you should have anyway.

Coffee Shops

Most coffee shops have Wi-Fi and we all know for certain Starbucks does.  As long as it’s not busy hour, a coffee shop is an ideal place to relax and catch up with everything you’ve missed on the internet. Some places to check out in Chicago are Ch'ava and Metropolis Coffee Co.

Hotels

This is only really applicable if you are staying at a hotel between your move.  Most hotels have complimentary internet.  It can be either Wi-Fi or through an Ethernet cord, but either way, at least you’re connected back to the world!

Internet Cafes

How can we forget the best place of all?  Internet cafes!  With the increasing usage of Wi-Fi and home modems, internet cafes are becoming rarer and rarer.  That’s not to say they are completely gone though.  You can still find the occasional café here and there, serving food to intense gamers playing Starcraft.  Their internet is usually pretty fast and there are sometimes even partitions to separate you from the person next to you, giving you privacy.  The only con is that you have to pay according to how much time you spent on the internet. Try out Biznet or Chicago Computer Club.