Preparing your home for a long, cold season can be daunting. Cold, damp conditions and stormy days cause mishaps in and around your home. About 35 million American homes are at a higher risk of natural disasters like winter storms, hurricanes, tropical coastal surges, and inland winds.
Thankfully, Lyndon Steinmetz Design Studio, LLC, is dedicated to offering home winterization services to residents of Kalispell, MT, and the rest of the Northwest Montana areas. Read these eight winter home maintenance tips and tricks to protect your home as snow and colder temps set in.
1. Clean Your Gutters
Prevent ice dams by installing gutter guards, cleaning your gutters, and ensuring the attic floor is properly insulated and well-ventilated.
2. Check Your Fire Place and HVAC Unit
Fireplaces, heating equipment, and chimneys are some of the leading causes of home fires. Have them inspected and serviced annually. If you use a wood heater, check the flue or chimney for gaps or cracks from which embers might escape. Ensure there are no overhanging branches near your chimney.
If you have an HVAC unit, ask the contractor to replace its filter. Ensure you change the filters regularly, as this is a crucial step in keeping your unit functioning properly.
3. Seal the Cracks
Caulk holes and openings around doors, windows, and air conditioners can let in cold air. You can install stripping and seals to help protect against cold air and heat loss.
4. Check for Drafts and Leaks
As the winter season progresses, checking for drafts and leaks is essential. Focus on areas like basements, attics, and garages where drafts and leaks happen often. Also, check your radiators. If they’re covered with metal or wooden radiator covers, uncover them and ensure the valves aren’t leaking.
5. Repair Loose Roofing Shingles
Make repairs before the first snow if your roof has missing, damaged, or loose shingles. A single cubic foot of ice or snow weighs about 20 pounds. That pressure might cause loose shingles to shift further, allowing moisture or water to permeate your roof and leak.
6. Cover Your Floors
If you find yourself in bed with slippers and socks all winter to keep your feet warm, your floors are likely absorbing heat from the room. The most heat-saving and warmest floors are cork and carpet. Other flooring options, like laminate tiles and vinyl, can pull heat from your house, though this depends on the insulation and subflooring.
Stone, marble, and ceramic tile induce much cold into your house. If you have such flooring and want to keep your house warm and cozy during winter, lay down rugs and carpets in the sitting room and high-traffic areas.
7. Prepare Your Outdoor Space
One of the winter homecare ideas is to ensure your garden is clean and clear. Secure anything the wind might sweep away, like plant pots, greenhouses, and wheelie bins. Keeping on top of leaves in your garden is a good idea, so they don’t concentrate and accumulate over the autumn.
8. Seek Professional Help
The winter season comes with busy schedules due to the upcoming holidays. So, why not hire us if you don’t have time for winter home prep? We have the skills to design and prepare your home for winter as you get ready for the festivities.
Give Us a Call Today
Preparing your home for the colder season can help reduce your energy bill, create a cozy and warm indoor experience, and keep your home in top shape. Hopefully, these winter home prep tips will help you answer the question of how to prepare your house for winter. Our experts can handle any big or small home winterizing project. Contact us today, and let’s brainstorm with you and tailor a plan on how to prepare your home for winter.