An Essential Winter Checklist to Prepare Your Home

An Essential Checklist to Prepare Your Home

Winter can be one of the most challenging times of the year, from frigid temperatures and icy roads to heavy snowfall. To stay warm, safe, and cozy throughout this harsh season it is crucial to be well-prepared with your home for whatever Old Man Winter brings. Here’s an essential checklist you should follow to prepare it for what lies ahead:

Assess Your Roof:

Your home roof takes on an enormous load in winter weather – from heavy rainfall to snow storms. For your own safety and to avoid costly repair bills in the future, inspecting it periodically is key for keeping it strong and in good shape. Take the time now to evaluate its strength to avoid future repair bills thoroughly.

Clean Your Gutters:

Gutter maintenance is key in protecting your home against winter weather, with blocked gutters leading to water damage to your roof, siding, and foundation as well as creating ice dams that further harm. Make sure that clogs are cleared out regularly during these cooler months for optimal efficiency.

Install New Weather Stripping:

For optimal energy costs in wintertime and to help ensure warm air stays indoors during the freezing weather days, replace worn-out weather stripping around windows and doors to help block cold air entry and keep energy costs at a minimum. Don’t forget the garage door; heat can easily escape this way without proper insulation. 

For extra protection during extreme temperature situations, caulk or foam sealant should be applied between siding pieces, foundations, and window frames to seal them shut tight against extreme cold air entering through cracks between clappers – adding caulk or foam sealant between them will help seal them shut tight against entry of outside elements like foundations or window frames can provide added insulation.

Install or Check Storm Windows: 

Storm windows are an integral component to ensuring your home remains warm in winter months, providing extra insulation against wind and weather as well as helping reduce energy costs by keeping warm air inside your home and keeping energy costs lower. 

Installation or check them prior to extreme temperatures arriving to ensure the proper working condition and reduce costs by keeping warm air inside the home and keeping out drafts, water damage, or other problems caused.

Insulate Pipes:

To prevent pipes from freezing in your home’s attic, basement, and outdoors, insulate all exposed pipes using insulation material as well as heating tape or heated cables where necessary. Check for signs of damage or leaks prior to winter arriving to ensure that your Gasworks, water heater and other plumbing equipment is insulated well for this season ahead. Consider making sure that all boilers are serviced, including their piping.

Prepare Your Yard:

Get ready for winter by clearing away leaves from your home’s foundation with either raking or blowing, trimming back any trees and shrubbery that could fall on power lines during storms, mulching garden beds to protect plants from frost damage, covering outdoor faucets with plastic tubing so water drips out through them during extremely cold weather, covering outdoor faucets to stop freezing. 

Finally, make sure walkways and entryways are clear of snow and ice for safety – prepare or purchase tools such as snow shovels, salt/sand for slippery spots, and snow blowers if necessary in your area.

In conclusion,  taking the time to prepare your home and yard for the winter season ahead can help ensure safety, comfort, and savings on energy and repair costs. Following a comprehensive checklist and completing necessary tasks before extreme weather arrives is well worth the effort. Staying warm and safe during the cold winter months will allow you to fully enjoy the cosy pleasures of the season.

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