Preparing Your Home For Winter

Cold weather has officially hit but we aren’t in the full swing of winter yet. As fall begins to cede to winter, now is the time to prepare your house for the cold weather before winter take over. Getting the inside and outside of your home in condition to handle lower temperatures and seasonal storms is important in protecting your home from the winter elements. Now is the time to make sure everything in your home is in good order to take on the harsh cold weather.

Inspect Your Roof and Attic

 A major area of concern for winter weather is your home’s roof and attic. Take the time during the good weather to inspect and repair the roof. Repairing holes or replacing missing shingles are fairly minor problems that are easily remedied. For more serious roof problems, have the roof professionally repaired. You should also inspect the ductwork and insulation in the attic to ensure that the interior of your home retains heat. Poor insulation can cause the rising heat in the house to infiltrate the roof and become trapped, leading to potential ice dams from snowmelt running down the roof into the gutters. Inspect the insulation and ventilation in your attics and make any repairs or upgrades before the snow begins to fall.

Tune-Up Furnace and Inspect Chimney

Make sure you have your furnace inspected by a professional because you will soon rely heavily on it and it needs to be working properly. Tune-ups ensure that your heating system is running efficiently and will keep you warm all winter. It is important that the filters are changed between cooling and heating seasons. The chimney also needs to be inspected and cleaned if necessary. If there is buildup in your chimney it could cause a fire in your home or trap the smoke from your fire inside of the home. By having your chimney cleaned you can rest easy knowing your fireplace or wood stove will be warm and working well. It is also important in protecting your family from carbon monoxide that can be trapped inside if the chimney is blocked.

Clean Gutters and Trim Trees

Preparing the outside of your home and yard is an important step in getting ready for the seasonal change. Clearing out your gutters is a good idea during late summer and fall. Debris accumulation can prevent water from draining and increase the risk of ice dams during the winter. If you have trees around the house, you may need to do this again in late fall. In areas where heavy snowfall is common, trimming back trees and pruning branches is often necessary to prevent damage to utility lines or your home. Snow can be very heavy and down power lines or weigh down branches and trees to the point of failure. If there are trees and branches very near your home, consider trimming these to prevent potential damages.

Seal Cracks and Weatherstrip

Making sure that your home can effectively retain heat is important for energy efficiency and comfort as the weather turns cold. If you notice gaps or cracks in the walls and foundation, seal them now. Keeping heat in and cold and moisture out are a high priority during the colder months. If your doors lack weatherstripping, be sure to add this now. If your home has single pane windows, consider upgrading these to more energy efficient double pane glass. Doing what you can to prepare the inside of your home and improve heat retention is an essential part of getting your home ready for winter.

By taking all of these steps you can be sure your home will be ready for the winter arriving shortly and also help you prevent damage. From below freezing temperatures to snowstorms that cause power outages or trap you inside of your home it’s important to prepare yourself ahead of time. Winter requires you to assess your home for cold weather resilience and take any necessary precautions before there is an issue. If your home is damaged this winter contact Brock Restoration at (513) 214-3879 for cleanup and restoration