Hello dear friends! It’s hard to believe that next month winter officially begins, so that means a few more months of cold and possibly harsh or dangerous weather ahead. While I love the beauty of a big winter snow, there are some potential dangers to our homes during the winter months. With that in mind, I am sharing some ways to keep your home protected throughout winter.
Keeping your house warm doesn’t necessarily mean you have to have your heating on all day every day, but it does mean you should take steps to ensure your house is always kept at a safe temperature. Not only does it keep you and your family warm, but it helps prevent bacteria spreading and damp forming.
- Ensure Your HVAC or Is Serviced To Avoid Emergencies
Having your hvac break during winter is terrible (been there, done that!) as it leaves you without hot water and heating when you need it most. Ensuring that your unit is serviced just before winter arrives is a great way to be sure it’s going to last through the winter. If it does break, make sure you have an engineer you can contact in emergencies.
- Be sure that your attic is well insulated
If you find that your house is often cold despite having the heating on, you may find that it’s because your attic is not well insulated. Getting this sorted before the cold weather hits could not only make your house warmer, but it can save your heating bill from being too expensive.
- Check The Condition Of Your Roof Before The Storm Weather Approaches
During winter there are often bad storms that involve a lot of wind and snow. Not only can this put your plans on hold, but it can do some serious damage to your house and to the roof in particular. Ensuring your roof is well maintained will prevent emergencies from happening at the worst possible time. Remember that wildlife can enter homes through holes in roofs, vents, and chimneys so maintenance is crucial. For more information, you can visit the Northface Construction website.
- Clear Your Gutters Before Temperatures Drop
If you have lots of leaves left over from Autumn in your gutters, it’s likely they’re going to get frozen in place when the icy weather hits. Clearing them out before it starts to get colder avoids any incidents where your pipes freeze over and become blocked.
Clear Out The Guttering
Guttering filled with dirt, leaves, and other debris can cause water to back up against the house. This problem often results in ice dams, as well as leaks, which may damage your roof, walls, and interiors. An easy solution to this problem is a complete clear out. By clearing your gutters regularly, you prevent the buildup of grime and foliage. It isn’t a fun job but will save you unnecessary hassle. Installing gutter guards is one of the easiest ways to prevent this issue. If you do end up with moisture issues, check out the best ozone generators to buy
Check your storm drains
As well as blocked guttering, leaf litter and general rubbish can end up in drains due to being blown about in the wind, and along with more rainfall over the autumn and winter months, this can cause flooding. Some homes are naturally more prone to flooding anyway since they’re at the bottom of hills or valleys, so take care that all of your drainage systems are working as they should.
Prevent frost damage
Take a look at the bricks on the walls of your home; if they have spalled, then this is usually an indication that your walls have been getting too wet. Wet walls can lead to freezing and frost damage, maximizing the problems even further. If you correct all of the above issues, this will prevent frost damage from occurring.
Trim Away Your Trees
The leaves you clear from your guttering must come from somewhere. This means that, if you have trees in your garden, they are probably the culprit. Trimming your trees away from the house will help to keep gutters clear for longer, as doing so removes the source of the blockage. Trimming your trees also reduces the likelihood of branches breaking off and causing damage.
- Regularly Check Weather Reports So You’re Prepared
Keeping on top of the weather and preparing for any yellow or red warnings means you’ll be able to anticipate any emergencies. This will give you time to bring in any valuables from outside, ensure your heating is in full working order and make sure you can salt your driveway and sidewalks. Also be sure to have plenty of canned goods, drinking water and toiletries so you can avoid having to travel to the store in treacherous conditions.
Hire Snow Removal Experts
Snow can cause chaos throughout winter, especially when it blocks your driveway. However, that doesn’t mean you should attempt to clear the snow yourself. Instead, hire a professional snow removal company to complete the job properly. Without the proper tools and experience, you will likely damage your own driveway. What’s worse, improper removal can result in injuries too.
Are you dreading the bad weather throughout winter? If you have any other great winter prep tips to share I would love to hear them!
Thanks for visiting today!
Amber
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