How To Prepare Your Home For The Winter!
How To Prepare Your Home For The Winter!
Install storm windows to protect your home from the cold
Storm windows are a type of window that is used to protect your home from the cold weather. They are installed on the outside of your home and keep the heat in, so your home stays warmer in the winter. If you have storm windows, they will also help to insulate against cold air drafts. Storm windows are available in many lengths and styles, so there are different types for homes with different architecture.
To install storm windows, you will need the proper tools and some experience making modifications to your home. No one wants their indoor furniture to suddenly become outdoor furniture, and that's not exclusive to the winter months.
If you're unsure of what that would take, hire someone! You can learn by observing them while they work, just don't watch a single YouTube video and immediately go to work on your walls and windows with a hacksaw.
Add insulation in walls, ceilings, and floors
During the cold months, you want to keep the warm air in. Walls and ceilings are notoriously hard to insulate on your own, so let a professional do that job first. After they're done with that first step, you can focus on the floor.
The easiest thing you can do is go out and buy rugs for every single room in your home, the rugs keep the heat trapped in and make walking around barefoot in the winter much more tolerable without having to deal with huge heating bills.
If you use your attic space regularly, it's a good idea to check if the insulation there is holding up. Make sure that there are attic vents to keep the air moving to prevent ice damming, we'll look at that problem further down.
All in all, you want to make sure your HVAC system can operate at maximum capacity in the winter months.
Fortis BC offers rebates when upgrading your insulation, check them out here!
Install a digital thermostat
It's not as difficult as you would think to install a digital or programmable thermostat, and it can save you a decent amount of money on your monthly heating bill.
A lot of people use them during the summer months too because they have a built-in screen that lets you see if someone left a door or window open.
If you're someone who likes to be able to reduce heating costs or monitor your energy consumption, a digital thermostat is a great way to do that without having to spend a fortune on a smart home system.
Replace old or leaky pipes with new ones for a safer winter
Water damage can be a huge issue, not just in the winter but throughout the year. If you have old or leaky pipes, it's important to replace them as soon as possible to avoid any potential water damage. You don't want to come home from work one day to find out that your entire floor is soaked because of a faulty pipe that you could have replaced hours earlier.
Seal floor edges with weather stripping or caulking
Most people do this during the wintertime, but it's just as important to seal floor edges if your home gets a lot of traffic year-round. Weatherstripping and caulking are both inexpensive ways to keep the warm air in and the cold air out, so it's definitely a task worth completing before the winter weather sets in.
Bring in your outdoor furniture
This one might seem obvious, but it's definitely worth mentioning.
If you have any outdoor items or decorations, make sure to bring them inside before the snow starts to fall. Not only will it keep them safe from the weather, but it will also help to prevent them from becoming stained with dirt and snow. Summer toys and outdoor equipment like giant floating pizza slices should also be stored safely.
Make sure your lawnmower is stowed safely in the colder months to prevent a nasty surprise when it comes time to use it again. Snow and ice can cause lasting damage and preventing early replacements can save money in the long term.
Unless you plan on watering the snow, storing your garden hose safely will prevent it from developing fissures from rapid freezing.
Seal up any cracks or gaps around windows and doors
It's also a good idea to seal up any cracks or gaps around your windows and doors. You can use weatherstripping for this, or if you have more serious gaps, you can use caulk or expanding foam. This will help to keep the warm air in and the cold air out, and it will also help to prevent drafts from coming in.
Drafts can ruin all of the other precautions you took to keep the hot air inside your home and keep your energy bills reasonable.
Inspect outdoor plumbing for leaks before it freezes over
You'll want to inspect outdoor plumbing before the cold weather sets in. If there is any chance that it could freeze over the next few months, you'll need to wrap your pipes with insulation or move them close to a heating source before they start to crack and break on their own.
Frozen pipes are one of the most annoying parts of the winter, it's not just about freezing water but the exposed water pipes themselves becoming damaged from the freezing temperatures.
Also, make sure to check your outdoor faucets. Disconnecting your garden hoses from all faucets, and closing off the upstream flow to the faucet is a good idea to start with but you should also think about getting a freeze-proof faucet to help you save time in the long run.
Fix any loose shingles on the roof for protection against heavy snowfall
If you have any loose shingles on your roof, it's important to fix them before the snow starts to fall. Heavy snowfall can cause a lot of damage to a roof that isn't in good condition, and it's much easier to fix the problem now than to wait until after the snow has already started to pile up.
Getting your house ready for the winter is a good time to do a general tour of the property to spot problem areas. You generally want to do this when not under duress by ice storms or falling icicles.
Clean gutters and downspouts to prevent clogging in the freezing weather
It's also important to clean your gutters and downspouts before the snow starts to pile up. You definitely don't want them getting clogged when you already have enough trouble trying to stay on top of the snow.
If you do find that there are problems, make sure to address them as soon as possible in order to prevent any further damage. Ice dams can cause a lot of issues for your roof, no matter how much you've spent to winter-proof it from the inside. Not to mention that it can be very dangerous.
Prevent ice dams
Ice dams are a common problem during the winter, and they can cause a lot of damage to your roof and home.
They form when snow on the roof melts, and the water freezes again as it travels down the roof. This creates a dam that can prevent the water from draining properly, and it can eventually lead to leaks and other damage.
In addition to fixing your roof's shingles and cleaning your gutters, you can do a few other things so that melting snow can drain freely in order to prevent ice damming.
You don't want the air in your attic to stay warm. It may sound counterintuitive but it will prevent the ice to melt in the higher areas which would lead it to freeze on a lower section of your roof to create the dam. Keep the air flowing so that there it doesn't create the conditions needed for a dam to form.
You can also buy heating strips made specifically to keep the amount of snow on your roof to a minimum. Shaped in triangles, those strips make it so that the snow doesn't have the chance to accumulate in the first place.
If it's too late to apply the strips, then you will have to carefully deal with the dam manually. Do be very careful though, no one wants a trip to the ER.
Check the batteries in your smoke detectors
An important thing you'll want to do before the cold weather hits is to check the batteries in your carbon monoxide detectors. It's important to have them in good working order in case of a fire, and it's much easier to change the batteries now than when you're in the middle of a blizzard.
Keep in mind that, in the winter, you can't just open the windows to let some smoke out. Any sort of fuel-burning apparatus (like a wood stove) or fireplace needs to be ventilated properly.
Don't play with fire
Frozen pipes and melted snow aren't the only things you need to be aware of, you need to be careful of how you deal with fire.
For fireplaces, a good chimney sweep can help you both prevent heat loss and make sure you don't smoke out your family when they're waiting for marshmallows - also, do not cook marshmallows (or anything else) in your fireplace because of the miscellaneous debris it introduces to both your food and the fireplace. Not to mention the fire hazard. Weather-stripping won't save you against those.
Should an accident happen, it's best to have functioning carbon monoxide alarms so you can fix the problem quickly.
Check your furnace
Some people might think a furnace inspection is too much but better to be safe than deal with low temperatures for an extended period of time, waiting for repairs. Your home's temperature is one of the most important things. It's vitally important to ensure that the furnace filters are functioning properly.
Thinking about replacing your furnace or hot water tank, check out this Fortis Rebate.
Make a plan for what you'll do in case of a power outage
It's also a good idea to make a plan for what you'll do if the power goes out. This is especially important if you have children, as you don't want to be caught off guard by an outage that leaves your kids stranded without heat or light.
You should always have flashlights and other sources of light in case the power goes out, and you should also make sure to have any heating sources (like fireplaces or stoves) inspected before winter.
It may seem like a small thing, but preparing for disruptions in your utilities can help keep you safe while also keeping your house comfortable.
Prepare an emergency kit for yourself and family members
Building on the previous point, you should also put together emergency kits for yourself and your family members.
The kit should include things like water, food, first-aid supplies, and flashlights. Make sure to pack enough supplies for each person in your household in case of an emergency.
Snow removal
One of the less fun but very important tasks of winter is snow removal. Make sure to have a plan for how you're going to remove the snow from your property - shovelling, using a blower, or hiring someone to do it for you. Try to clear out dead branches in the driveway, too.
Make sure all cars are winter-ready
Checking the tire pressure, battery strength, antifreeze levels, windshield wipers, and flashers is an important part of preparing your car for winter.
Unless you're going to stay inside the whole time, it's a good idea to treat your car as an extension of your home in the winter. Have an emergency kit, and make sure that it can be as cost-effective as possible in the winter weather. While you prepare your home for the snow and ice, your car will be a necessity to get a hold of the right winter equipment and repair tools.
Conclusion
It's important to be prepared for the winter. If you're not ready, it could end up costing you more than just money. After all, it's better to have hot chocolate than constantly worry about the crawl spaces, bathroom vents, or the batteries in the carbon monoxide detector. Once you get ahead of those issues, the winter will be a breeze.
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