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A Guide to Winter Proofing Your Home

VWB Blog 2 years ago 5

Winter will kick in before you know it, leaving your home unprepared for low temperatures and heavy snow. It will be more troublesome if you live in a region where winter is harsh. So, take charge now by implementing the below measures and safeguard your property from potential damage that the winter season brings.

Cover-up the Pipes

Pipes in the attic, crawl space, loft, basement, and along the walls have direct exposure. The water inside those pipes may freeze, and the pipe may burst when the temperature in winter drops significantly. There will be water damage, and you will need to bear the repair cost. You should therefore make a run to the hardware shop and get the padding. Use the paddings to insulate the pipes in unheated areas. Cover up all the pipelines, even the smallest ones, because they too can cause such damage.

Test the Heating System

You should ensure the safety and effectiveness of your home’s heating system. If your home’s heating systems are destroyed, your family’s safety is jeopardized. If they are no longer efficient, your utility costs will skyrocket. Hence, you should hire a professional to test the heaters before winter begins and resolve any issues. However, If the heater is damaged and the repair cost is high, it is better to have a new furnace installed. That’s because repairing costs more money with no guarantee that the furnace won’t break down shortly.

Seal Windows and Doors

Before the winter season starts, you must insulate all windows and doors. Sealing them prevents heat loss, cuts power consumption, and lowers utility bills. Inspect the weatherstripping all-around window and door frames. Replace them if required with newer, more effective ones. Don’t forget to fix the caulk and gaps on both the interior and exterior of the house. It’s critical to keep the heat in and the cold out of the house.

Clean the Chimney

In the months before winter, hire a professional to clean the chimney and vents. It is essential to keep the chimney in excellent operating order. Otherwise, when you use the fireplace to stay warm, the debris, leaves, and other material that obstruct the chimney may cause a fire to erupt as well as carbon monoxide to creep into your home.

Insulate the Roof

Your roof may have some loose or missing shingles. If so, leaks will occur throughout the winter. When heat escapes from your home through the roof, your heater will consume more energy, costing you high power bills. In addition, if there is a severe storm, the roof may collapse and injure the occupants within the house. Therefore, it is critical to insulate your home’s roof to avoid all of the problems.

Turn off the Faucets

The water may freeze if there is undrained water left in the pipe. The ice may expand and cause the pipe to break. Hence, you should turn off any outside faucets, remove the hoses from the faucets, and drain any trapped water.

Divert the Water Flow

It is best to keep your home structure and foundation free of water penetration to avoid property damage. Add extension to drains to do this. This ensures that water flows at least five feet away from home.

Inspect the Radiator

Inspect the radiators to see whether they are hot at the bottom but cold at the top. Also, listen for any unusual noises, such as radiator gurgles or pipes clanging. If both of these conditions checkouts, you must expel the trapped air from the radiator. Allowing this air to escape will allow you to heat your residence more efficiently. You’ll also end up saving money on your energy costs.

Trim Overgrown Trees

Is there an overgrown tree whose branches are dangling over your house, driveways, garages, or electrical lines? Then, before they strike your property during a heavy storm, you should chop them off. Otherwise, you’ll have power failures and property damage, which I’m sure you don’t want.

Unclog the Gutter

Water does not drain when the gutter is clogged with leaves, dirt, and other waste. Also, if your area experiences snowfall, the snow will not melt. Water will freeze, travel along the roof, and may cause structural damage and home leaks. Hence, start cleaning the gutters to allow for smooth water flow and quick snow melting. When you prevent the freeze, you will escape the property damage for good.

Get the Winter Supplies

Making your home winter-ready necessitates restocking on winter staples. Snow removal tools such as a metal shovel, an ice scraper, salt, and a snow brush are winter essentials. All of them are necessary to create a clear and safer route from your house to the road, melt the snow, and wipe away snow from your vehicle’s windshields and windows.

That is how you should prepare your home for the chilly winter. All these may seem tedious tasks, but it is better than leaving your home to suffer winter damage and incur higher energy bills.

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