5 Things to Do to Prep Your Home for Winter

Cold weather, snow, and ice can damage your home if you don’t prepare it for winter. Preparing the window may not feel like a necessity. However, preparing your home for winter will ensure your home will be in great shape for winter. If there are harsh winters in your region, you can prepare your home in advance to prevent any damage during the winter season. Here are five things to prepare your home for winter.

1. Trim Tree Branches

Tree branches that hang over your Roof can cause excess water to drip in the cracks in the roof of your house. That’s why you’ll need to make sure the branches or tree limbs hanging on your home are trimmed to the preferred size. Check your house for branches over the garage, power lines, driveways, and garage. In case of a storm, the tree branches can fall down and cause huge damage. Branches can also break the window panes.

2. Clear Downspouts and Gutters

Downspouts and gutters that are clogged can cause considerable damage to the foundation of the house. The repairs can be costly. Ensure you clean your drain by removing gunk, twigs, and leaves. Ensure also the gutters are not trapping water or sagging. Replace any damaged or worn-out material.

If the gutters are clogged with debris and leaves, they can freeze and end up causing damage to the roof. Use gloves and a ladder to remove the debris from the gutters so that the water will drain smoothly. If you can’t do it yourself, you can hire a professional to help out. Remove all the moss, leaves, and other debris. This will prevent blockage during heavy snow and rain.

Cracked gutters need to be replaced. Check the downspouts for re-security and fasten them if they are loose or sagging. Ensure all openings don’t have holes and are properly covered to prevent birds, rodents, and birds from making the openings their habitat.

3. Check Your Chimney

Proper inspection of the outside and inside of your home’s fireplace will ensure that it will be in good shape during the winter season. There are various things to check during an inspection. Ensure the chimney cap is in great condition and no debris or bird nest on the cap. Also, ensure there is no tree near the chimney.

When checking inside the house, ensure the flue damper seals, closes, and opens appropriately. Ensure the firebox has no missing motor or cracks. If you have used a fireplace for too long, you should have it inspected and cleaned by a professional chimney sweep.

Inspect the glass door for latch issues and glass doors. All this is done before the winter period to prevent the cold weather from damaging the chimney masonry. You can look into getting a quality furnace at goodman furnace.

4. Checking the Roof, doors, and windows

A roof inspection will help in spotting any issues such as leakage. Check if there is cracked caulk, broken or missing shingles. Ensure the shingles are not curling, buckling, or blistering. Home roofing fixes, including repairing calking and shingles, are easy. Therefore, you do it by yourself. But if you’re not comfortable on the roof, you can consult a professional roof inspector.

Roof tiles can become loose throughout the year. This can lead to leaks during winter. A professional can inspect your house and recognize the areas that need fixing before winter. Check if there is broken glass, cracks, or gaps. The windows can be inspected for broken glass, cracks, or gaps and repaired or replaced if needed. Storm windows can also be used.

5. Draining Sprinklers

Remove residual water using outdoor sprinkler systems. This will help to reduce cracks in the pipes. A contractor can also get hired to remove water through the use of compressed air. Keep your garden clean and clear for winter. Remove anything that the wind can blow, including plants, pots, greenhouses, and wheelie bins. Clearing leaves and rubbish from gutters help in preventing buildup, which results in heavy and icy gutters.

Conclusion

With the above tips, you can now prepare your home for winter. Most people experience property issues in the winter month. If you want to prepare your home for winter, ensure you trim tree branches, check your chimney and roof, drain sprinklers, clear downspouts, and gutters.