There’s a lot to love about winter: freshly fallen snow, ice-skating, getting warm near a roaring fire. It also brings a lot of nuisances, including high-energy bills, slippery roads and sidewalks, and cleaning snow off your car.
However you feel about winter, it can definitely take its toll on your home.
Winters can be harsh and cause damage requiring costly repairs. But you can make sure that your house is prepared for the winter in advance.
Following these basic repairs tips can help prepare your house to avoid significant damage later on during cool weather and get your house ready for winter.
Clean Out Your Gutters
The combination of fallen leaves and debris with rain and snow creates a lot of opportunities for your gutters to get filled up. Clogged gutters can cause water to back up and then freeze once temperatures drop.
Keep gutters clear and properly connected to ensure that melting snow runs off your roof and through downspouts. Additionally, getting rid of this build-up can help prevent the formation of icicles, ice dams, and icy patches below your roofline.
Seal Gaps Around your Home
Leaks and drafts coming in through cracks in walls, doors, and windows can prevent efficient heating and significantly increase your energy bills. Holes, gaps and cracks can form in your foundation and walls around your pipes and are the likely culprits.
If you have storm windows and doors, install them. Also, look for openings near your windows and doors where warm air may escape, and use weatherstripping, caulk or sealant to fill them. If your windows need servicing, there are window companies that can help.
Chimney Maintenance
Have your chimney inspected and cleaned by a professional before you use your fireplace or wood stove for heating. Fireplaces, chimneys, and heating equipment are some of the biggest causes of home fires, so having yours inspected and cleaned by a professional can help prevent chimney fires.
A blocked chimney or flue can also increase your chances of carbon monoxide poisoning. Don’t forget fresh batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Inspect your Furnace
Just like your chimney, you should have your furnace expected every year. A key benefit to getting your furnace inspected early is if your furnace isn’t working properly, you can beat the rush to have it repaired or buy and install a new one if necessary.
Make sure you’re also changing your furnace filters regularly to keep your furnace working properly. You might also want to consider having your air ducts cleaned professionally or cleaning them yourself.
There may be a number of to-do tasks that winter weather brings, but by tackling them early on and performing tasks in stages instead of all at once, you can prepare your house and get ahead of the cool weather and get back to enjoying all the positives the winter weather brings.
