Selling Your Home? Winters Home Services Recommends Home System Check-Up

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - May 15, 2015 - PRLog -- For residents looking to sell their home, Tim Flynn, owner of Winters Home Services, an award-winning provider of plumbing, heating, cooling, and drain cleaning services to residents throughout the greater Boston area, recommends having the home's systems checked before listing it. Failed or compromised heating systems are one of the greatest deal breakers in residential home sales.

Flynn, an ongoing resource for REAL Estate Talk Boston, assists Boston residents with their real estate goals by helping home sellers and buyers maneuver the complex heating, cooling and plumbing issues that can arise.

Flynn advises homeowners to consider the following:

How old is the furnace? When was the last time maintenance was performed on it? If a heating system is more than 15 years old, consider replacing it. The latest heating systems offer better energy efficiency and overall savings. Winters can provide expert advice and guidance on each system’s energy efficiency rating, output, reliability, warranty and features. Buyers are looking for homes with energy efficient systems that are in tip-top shape and sellers should be aware of this.

How old is the hot water heater? If your hot water system is 10 or more years old, consider replacing it. Signs that your hot water heater needs to be replaced include: hot water that doesn't last long or fails to maintain a consistent temperature; leaking under the tank; corrosion or rust on the tank; and strange noises coming from it.

When were all the filters (furnace, air conditioning, air purifiers) replaced? Maintenance is key, and if you haven't had an annual inspection done on any of your home's systems, you should schedule it prior to listing your home.

When was the flue and chimney inspected for exhaust back drafting, flue obstructions or cracks, excess creosote or other damages?

Are all the drains working well? Clogged sinks, showers and toilets are the most prevalent plumbing issues, and can indicate a more significant problem with the main drain, or the septic system.

Are there any plumbing leaks? Have repairs done promptly to prevent a minor leak from turning into major damage.

Is the sump pump in good working order? To test the pump, pour some water into the basin and observe the switch. It should turn on and begin pumping water from the basin. Wait until the water pumps from the basin and ensure the pump turns itself off. If not, it means the sump pump is not working properly.

"Ensure that your home systems are in tip-top shape. Have these home systems checked to identify anything that needs to be repaired or replaced prior to listing your home. You don't want to learn there are significant issues during a home inspection," said Flynn. "You want to know that your home's most important systems are in good working order and so will a potential buyer. In this way, you will be able to confidently negotiate, and if any questions arise, you will have documentation of maintenance, repair or replacement."

Flynn has 20 years in the business and 60,000 happy customers. He has shared plumbing, HVAC and home monitoring tips on New England Real Estate Journal (http://nerej.com/images/radio/archive/ne/2014/10/2014-10-...) (NEREJ) Radio, Boston.com (http://www.boston.com/mt/real-estate/sponsored/real-estat...) REAL Estate Talk Boston and WPLM-FM 99.1.

About Winters Home Services

Founded in 1994, Winters Home Services is an award-winning service company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, specializing in plumbing, heating, cooling, drain cleaning and air quality services. Offering the first-to-market CarePlus Home Monitoring Program and lifetime guarantees on many of their services, the company focuses on high quality workmanship and consistent world-class customer service. Winters Home Services promises to fulfill the needs of every customer with a sense of urgency, ensuring comfort, safety and well-being.

Winters Home Services is one of the largest residential plumbing companies in the greater Boston-area with a large fleet on the road and a full staff of licensed and insured plumbers and technicians.  Dedicated to supporting the community, Winters is a sponsor of the Duckling Day Parade annual Mother’s Day event and a partner of the Friends of the Public Garden, a non-profit organization that works to protect and improve Boston’s first public parks: the Boston Common, Public Garden, and Commonwealth Avenue Mall. The company is an ongoing supporter of events at Club Café.

For more information, call 866-482-7586 or visit wintershomeservices.com.