If you want to avoid the problems a cold winter can cause, your home must be properly insulated.
Regardless of where you live, it is important to prepare your home for the upcoming winter months. Whether you are selling your house or just want to make sure that no one gets sick during the cold season, there are some things that you need to do before the snow starts falling. Let’s explore some of the things you can do to get your home in shape!
Check to see if your roof has any leaks or damage
One of the best ways to make sure your home is winter-ready is by checking for leaks. To do this you must look closely at the ceilings.
You want to make sure that you don’t see any water spots on the ceiling inside of the home. One indication of this is when you see a moist spot. Moister on your ceiling is an indication that you have a roof leak.
Another thing you want to do is check around the outside of the roof. What you are checking for is missing shingles. If you see any parts of the shingles missing on the roof then it’s possible water can get in through the missing shingles.
Another part to look at is the fascia part of the roof. Your goal is to make sure that you don’t have a lot of rotten wood around the fascia part.
One other part you can check is the Soffit part. You can check around the Soffit area for rotten wood. If you see rotten wood then you will need to replace it. This ensures that insects, rodents, birds, and squirrels don’t gain access to the roof.
If you ever have left an opening, I’m sure you might have been visited by birds and squirrels, and sometimes it can be a loud experience during earlier mornings when it is time for you to get some rest.
You have no idea how loud squirrels can get running around in the attic around 1 am in morning. If you have ever experienced it before then you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Make sure all windows are closed and sealed properly
Make sure all windows are closed and sealed properly. This is something that you want to do to ensure that you don’t have an issue with the air coming thru the corner of the windows.
For your comfort, seal the windows to make sure that you stay warm and cozy. You can use water-proof caulking around the outside of them or install window kits. This will make sure that you don’t experience any drafts from the cold air in the wintertime.
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When you seal the windows it helps to make sure that the warm air stays inside your home.
How to Draft Proof Windows
For those of you living in places where winter gets a bit on the frosty side (cold, snow, etc.) and want to keep the draft out, I'll show you a simple and VERY ...
Ensure that the fireplace is cleaned and working correctly.
If you tend to have hard winters. Then it would be a good idea to make sure you check your fireplace. The fireplace in most recent years seems to be the one place that most people forget to check
Since winter is soon approaching it would be a good idea to make sure that the fireplace is working correctly. One thing you can do to check the fireplace is to hire a professional to come out and clean out the fireplace.
If you have some of the wood ashes still left over from last year then you know it’s time to get the fireplace checked out.
Another good place to check would be to make sure the flue and the damper of the fireplace are working properly. Make sure the chimney is clean from creosote and other substances that can cause a fire. Make sure the chimney is free from cracks.
If you have a gas fireplace then it would be a good idea to call out a plumber and check to make sure that the fireplace doesn’t have any gas leaks.
Use a programmable thermostat to regulate the temperature in your house
There are a lot of things you can do to make sure that your house is ready for the winter.
One thing I always recommend is getting yourself a good programmable thermostat so that, no matter when the cold weather comes, you know your temperature will stay nice and cozy inside – at whatever temperature you set!
The best place to keep the temperature is around 74 degrees, but if you’re prone to heat flashes, then set the temperature at 65-70 degrees inside might feel more comfortable for you.
One of the top programmable thermostats you might want to consider getting is Pro1 Programmable Thermostat. This simple device can help make your life a little bit easier, and it’s easy to use!
Once you set this up it’s ready to go. It runs off Double-A batteries and it is a very basic unit. So if you are tired of dealing with the high-tech ones then use this one.
One thing I love about this thermostat from my experience using them so far has been how easy their programming interface makes things look on screen while still being very intuitive
Pro1 Iaq T701 Digital Non-Programmable Thermostat (1H/1C)
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Features
| Part Number | T701 |
| Color | Blue |
Clean out gutters, downspouts, and eaves troughs for proper drainage
This can be something that might seem like it would take some time to do. But it would be a good idea to make sure you get those gutters in shape.
When gutters properly drain it ensures that water does not collect around the fascia area of the roof. A clean and properly working gutter system ensures a dry roof.
The gutters should be kept free of debris such as leaves, dirt, or trash to ensure they can do their job well.
Debris can clog the downspouts causing water overflow that will eventually lead to leaks on your home’s exterior walls which could cause major damage in the long run!
The first thing you’ll want to do is peel back any foliage that may be obstructing your gutters and make sure there aren’t any leaves or branches stuck inside of them.
If so, sweep those out with a broom before they have time to pile up.
Next, go around each gutter individually inspecting for debris – if the gutters are clogged, use a hose or ladder extenison pole (or anything long) attached loosely over one end which will help break up larger chunks without damaging the rest of your roof.
Next, check the downspouts and make sure that your downspouts are not clogged or loose. You can try to reattach them, but if you can not perform the work.
Then you might want to call in a professional to help you tighten your downspouts. You can even run a water hose or use a high-pressure wash hose to go inside the downspouts and clear them out.
Last but not least you have to make sure that the eaves trough properly drain away from the house and that all the gutters are working properly, and make sure the eaves troughs are tightened and not loosen.
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Inspect exterior walls and insulation – look for cracks or gaps where cold air can seep through
This is a good thing to do when you are trying to make sure your home is winterized for the winter. You have to make sure that you check the insulation in the attic. And make sure that the exterior walls have no signs of cracks in them.
One thing you have to keep in mind is that if the insulation is low in the attic. Then it’s a good indication that you need to blow more insulation in the attic. This is a good way to keep the house warm during the winter months.
Another thing you want to do is you want to make sure you walk around the outside of your house and inspect the brick closely. If for some reason you see big gaps then you want to have the foundation checked.
A rule of thumb is to make sure that you can’t stick a match head in the crack. If you can see that the crack is open and wide. Then you might have foundation issues.
You can then call up a foundation company or have an engineer come out and check to see if there is movement in the foundation.
If for some reason you can not call out a foundation company because you do not have the funds available then make a notation of where the issues were by taking pictures.
You can then have a masonry come out and patch up the area. But, keep in mind that if there is a foundation issue the area will crack again.
Remember, this is only a temporary patch to keep air from going into the cracks. If you are selling your home then it is recommended that you have the foundation checked by an engineer or a foundation company.
Do not patch the hole knowing there are foundation issues and make sure that when you fill out the Seller’s Disclosure Report you disclose to the new buyer about foundation issues.
If you don’t and for some reason, the buyer finds out there were foundation issues and it wasn’t disclosed on the Seller’s Disclosure then it is a lawsuit waiting to happen.
One last thing that you need to do is gets some covers for the exterior vents and cover them up for the winter and insulate exterior water pipes.
Crawl Space Recessed Foundation Vent Cover - Black (For 8"x16" Foundation Openings)
$16.99 in stock
Features
- PRECISE MEASUREMENTS REQUIRED: Before ordering, ensure accurate measurements. This crawl space vent cover seamlessly recesses into the majority of 8" height x 16" width openings, constructed as a solid piece of durable ABS plastic with a non-opening design.
- SPECIFICATIONS: Internally measuring 7-3/4 inches x 15 inches, and externally measuring 9-3/4 inches x 17-1/4 inches, with an inside depth of 1-1/4 inches, this vent cover is meticulously crafted for a perfect fit.
- EASY APPLICATION: Attach to the inside of your crawl space foundation opening using fasteners or adhesive (not included). Prior removal of the old vent is necessary for proper installation.
- VERSATILE INSTALLATION: Enhance insulation by gluing insulation inside the cover. Suitable for both permanent and seasonal use, offering flexibility for year-round protection or winter-specific applications.
- PAINTABLE FINISH: Ideal for closed, encapsulated, or conditioned crawl spaces, this vent cover is paintable with plastic adherent paint, allowing seamless integration with your home's aesthetic while ensuring long-lasting performance.
Witten Automatic Vent B-EBLACK(MB)"Energy-Saver" Foundation Auto Vent 8" X 16"- Black
Features
- Color: Black
- Fits standard 8" x 16" vent openings
- With 18" lintel for new construction
- High density thermo-plastic construction
- Stainless steel and corrosion resistant metal parts
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a checklist to winterize your house, we hope this article has helped. We know that it can be daunting and time-consuming to make sure everything is in order before the cold weather starts rolling in.
But don’t worry! There are many things you can do now to get ahead of the game so when winter comes knocking at your door there will be no need to scramble around with an incomplete list of tasks that you need to do before heavy snowfall or ice storms
Remember – as long as you take care of these six basic points, all should go well during the winter. Let us know if this blog post was helpful – maybe even share it with friends