As the summer comes to an end, many homeowners’ minds are turning to winter. Preparing your home for winter may take longer than you think, so it could be a good idea to start your preparation right now.
Increase Insulation
Heating drafty houses can be really expensive. Add insulation in the attic, replace weather stripping around windows and doors, and caulk around windows.
Check Attic Ventilation
Ice dams can be a real problem during the winter months. Making sure your attic ventilation is in working order may help reduce your risk of this ice formation.
Clean Gutters
If you don’t already have a Gutter Helmet protection system installed, you need to clean the leaves, dirt and gunk from your gutters to ensure water will be able to flow. This may help reduce the formation of icicles.
Wrap Your Pipes
Depending on where you live, the weather may get really frigid during winter. If so, you may need to wrap the pipes in your basement to reduce the chance of your pipes freezing.
Keep Water Flowing
Another way you can help stop pipes from freezing is by keeping the water flowing through them. Simply keep a trickle of water running from your faucets.
Reverse Your Fans
Some ceiling fans have a switch that reverses the way they will run. During the winter, you want your fans to run clockwise to help pull the heat from the ceiling.
Make Roof Repairs
Any holes or small irregularities your roof may have during the fall can become worse during the winter because of the expansion caused by ice. Repair the problems now to avoid major water damage.
Turn Off Water
If you’re going to be gone, you may want to turn off the water and drain your pipes. Even if you’re going to remain home all winter, you may want to turn off and drain the exterior water.
There are a lot of small projects you can do to make sure your home remains in good condition throughout the harsh weather of winter.
