Hello World! Welcome Friends! Winter is here, and if you want your home to fair well during the winds, snows, ice, sleet, hail, and other unpredictable elements of the season, you’ll consider weatherproofing the place. The things you do now will go miles when the weather turns sour, so it’s well worth your investment of time and money.
1. Examine and Repair Your Roof
A damaged or improperly draining roof can lead to leaks and other damage to your home. When it snows and melts, you’ll end up with leaks inside your home. In dire situations, snow can build up on your roof and cause it to collapse.
Ask a certified roofer to inspect and repair your roof, paying special attention to soffits and fascia where damage often occurs. Dormers and flashing are other points of easy damage. Ensure gutters are working and there’s proper drainage to prevent buildup.
If things don’t look good, you might want to consider replacing your roof. It’s an expensive upfront cost, but the peace of mind, increased resale value, and structural benefits are well worth it.
2. Address Your Windows
Inspect your windows from the outside for proper seals so air won’t leak into your home, compromising the efficiency of your heating system. If you have single-paned windows and they aren’t keeping the cold out as effectively as you’d like, you might consider replacing them.
For a more budget-friendly option, you could have a film installed on your windows to increase their efficiency. This is a process very similar to having your car windows tinted but without the tint.
3. Apply Weather Stripping
Another way to reduce air leakage is with weather stripping, usually indoors. You can purchase strips of foam and rubber to help seal cracks around doorways and windows. It’s a simple process that any homeowner can do.
4. Fill Holes with Caulk
On the exterior of your home, caulk is a better tool for stopping air leaks than weather strips. Inspect the structure for gaps, cracks, and holes that might be allowing air or water to enter your home. You’ll most likely find spaces around windows and doors where the original caulk may have worn away. A tube of caulk can go a long way for sealing these unwelcome entry points.
Look for spaces on the ground level as well. Unfortunately, winter weather sends rodents looking for shelter, and a crack or hole in your home on the ground level might be all they need to get inside. A mouse, for example, can fit through a hole the size of a dime. A little preemptive caulking can save you from an expensive pest problem!
5. Clear Gutters
If you’re on a ladder to install Christmas lights, you might as well clean your gutters while you’re at it! Gutters are famous for becoming backed up and causing problems when the snow and sleet come.
A backed-up gutter can cause ice dams to form. Water expands when it freezes, and the force can cause damage to your roof. When the water melts, it may collect on your roof if your gutters aren’t draining properly. With time, pooled water on the exterior will generate an interior leak.
6. Fix Your Draft Excluder
There’s an essential piece of rubber and bristle on the bottom edge of the door that helps to seal out drafts when the door is closed. It’s often called a draft excluder.
Over time, the rubber and bristles can wear down, which means it doesn’t seal properly when the door is closed. Replacing your draft excluder is an affordable and simple fix that can reduce your heating (and air conditioning) bills significantly.
7. Attend to Your Yard
Clearing away leaves, debris, tall weeds, stacked wood by the house, and other problems in your yard can also protect your home this winter. These problems can cause moisture buildup or attract rodents, threatening your home’s exterior. Doing the proper yard work going into winter will reduce many problems throughout the colder months and into the spring.
8. Update Siding or Paint
If it’s been several years since your siding has been installed or you’ve painted, now might be a great time to consider it. Depending on the type of siding you have, it may need to be replaced or repainted every 5-20 years. Siding that was improperly installed may need to be replaced sooner.
While it may be too late in the season to have this exterior work done, you can book the work for springtime. Many contractors are booked out several months, so calling now gives you an advantage.
9. Inspect Your Chimney
Have a chimney sweep check your chimney before you light any fires this winter. An improperly cleaned chimney leads to creosote buildup, which can cause a fire in your home. If you light fires in your wood-burning fireplace often, you should have your chimney inspected and cleaned twice per year.
10. Unhook Your Hoses
Before the first sign of frost, unhook your hose from the spigot on your home. If water left inside your hose freezes, it may expand and back up into your spigot, breaking it. This is an expensive fix that can be prevented with a single step in the late fall.
Exterior home maintenance leading into winter requires a little time and money, but it’s essential to helping your home weather the cold weather.
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
Things You Need To Know About Head Gasket
What Can You Do With Rainwater On Your Property
Is your Home Winterized for Cold Weather?
Favorites & Highlights – Top Posts of 2020
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