How to Prep Your Home for Winter
Winter is on the way, which means for most parts of the country it’s about to get much colder. While there’s a certain magic to this season, with a natural slowdown and more time with family, it can also be quite stressful for homeowners. This is the time of year when unexpected — and expensive! — disasters often pop up. Here are four things that you can focus on during the fall, so that you can enjoy living in a winter wonderland.
Your Winter Prep List
✔️ Schedule gutter cleaning
✔️ Disconnect and store hoses
✔️Turn off exterior faucets and drain water lines
✔️Have your sprinkler system blown out
✔️Close your pool for the season
✔️Schedule your annual chimney sweep
✔️Stock up on: water, paper products, shelf stable food, and batteries
✔️Purchase flashlights and lanterns
✔️Arrange for snow removal or purchase a snow shovel
Schedule your gutter cleaning
Your home’s humble gutters are more important than they may appear, and are an essential element in keeping your house safe and healthy this winter. Gutters move water off your roof and away from your foundation, preventing expensive cracks and water damage.
Clogged gutters can lead to many costly home disasters, including flooded basements and crawl spaces. When winter hits and snow falls, an ice dam can form when heat escaping from your roof causes snow to melt and refreeze at your home’s eaves. This can cause water to backup into your attic, flooding your home and ruining insulation and drywall.
Gutters filled with leaves and other debris can also be a fire hazard. If you live in an area prone to wildfires or plan to hang lights for the holidays this year, be sure to schedule a gutter cleaning.
Take care of your backyard
If you live in an area that experiences hard freezes, fall is a great time to wrap up your backyard before the first snow falls. Disconnect and store your hoses in a dry place to prevent them from cracking. Turn off your exterior faucets, drain your waterlines, and insulate them to prevent cracked hose bibs and flooded basements.
To prevent an unpleasant surprise and large bill come springtime, have your sprinkler lines blown out. This will prevent water from freezing in the lines, causing cracks.
If you have a pool, be sure to close it for the season. By cleaning your pool and balancing the water chemistry now, you will be able to save time and money in the spring when you’re daydreaming of floating the day.
Stay warm and stay safe
There are few things nicer on a cool evening than the crackling sounds and warmth of a roaring fire. While there are many things that you can DIY around your home, an annual chimney sweep is not one of them. Chimney fires burn very hot and are often undetectable until your chimney becomes cracked and the fire quickly spreads throughout your home.
During your annual chimney sweep and inspection, the professional will remove dangerous creosote buildup and look for signs of damage and previous fires. Then you can rest assured that your home is safe while you enjoy the snap, crackle, and pop of a roaring fire.
Prep for winter storms before your local news station announces one
There are few things less fun than the frantic, last minute dash through the ravaged aisles of a grocery store when the local news station announces an impending storm. Save yourself the headache by stocking up now on snow day essentials. Pick up a few extra gallons of water, paper products, shelf stable food items like soups and peanut butter, and hot cocoa mix in case you need to stay home for a few days.
It’s always a good idea to have supplies on hand in case the power goes out. Flashlights and lanterns are a much safer option than candles and matches. Be sure to pick up extra batteries while you’re at it!
Snow removal is one of the most backbreaking parts of homeownership, but is an essential safety item. We can help you schedule a service to clear your driveway and sidewalks to save you time and backache. If you would prefer to DIY, be sure to pick up an ergonomic snow shovel and a pet safe and environmentally friendly snow melt product for especially slick spaces in your yard.
