House Work That Will Pay Off When Winter Hits

Before the winter hits, it’s important to make sure that your home is safe and ready for the snow and wind. Things like roof and paint repair, as well as indoor jobs like checking the furnace, are vital steps to winter proofing your home and saving you money in the long run. The next few things are just a few parts of your home to check and possibly repair before the winter hits.  

Siding Repair

One of the best ways to help prep your home for the winter is to check the exterior of your home for possible siding errors. Siding repair is necessary to start fixing when it’s small. Once there’s a lot more damage, it will be much more expensive to fix.

Repairing the siding on your home can help prevent things like water damage and pest problems. Small pests can make a home in your siding and wreak havoc on your home. Water damage can leak through and rot the wood or freeze and cause more damage.

Exterior Paint

A new coat of paint can do a lot more than just making your home look beautiful, although that is a huge plus. Repainting your home before winter will help to add a new layer of protection to your home. New paint shields your home from excess moisture that comes with the rain and snow in the wet winter months.

Not painting your home before the winter can decrease the lifespan of the exterior of your home as well as make your home more prone to wood rot and other damage that will be very costly to repair.

Roof Maintenance

Making sure that your roof is in the best condition that it can be before the snow hits is one of the most important steps to take. If your roof isn’t in good conditions, whether that be missing shingles or leaks, you’ll have a lot more problems down the road.

Fixing it up when the weather is still good and it is still safe to be up on the roof is a very important thing. Not only can this help you to avoid more problems in the months following, but it may save you some money by helping you catch any problems while they’re still small.

Fireplace Optimization

There are many ways to make sure that your fireplace is in top condition before you really need to use it. One of these ways is to make sure that you keep up on cleaning and maintenance of your fireplace. Whether it runs on gas or with actual wood, you’ll want to make sure that it is in good condition.

Heat can escape through your fireplace if you don’t clean and maintain it. Not only can not taking care of your fireplace cause small aesthetic damages, but it can be a huge expense to repair lots of structural damage. Cleaning the fireplace will help you to make sure that there are no structural issues, as well as getting rid of caked on ash and soot in the case of real wood burning fireplaces.

Insulation Repair

Before the winter months hit, and especially if you live in a very cold and humid place, you should have your insulation checked. If your insulation is leaking at all or starts to peel away from the walls, which typically happens after about 15 year, you should get it replaced.

However, insulation can malfunction sooner than that, so it is important to keep an eye on it. You may be wondering how to check the insulation when it isn’t accessible. The best way to do this is to feel the wall and check for any cold temperatures, dampness, or signs of moisture. If it has any of the above, you may not have enough insulation, issues with the insulation, or there could be cracks in the wall or exterior of the home.

Sealing Window Cracks

Any gaps in the windows or around doors should be checked for and sealed if found. Sealing any cracks or gaps that are found will help to keep the cold air and moisture out as well as any pests. Many pests will try to find warmer places to live when it gets colder, so it is very important to make sure that your home is protected from any unwelcome visitors.

Store Outdoor Furniture

Moving your outdoor furniture inside, or at least covering it with tarps, will help to protect it from the snow and harsh winter air. Preventing paint on the furniture from peeling, any wires or other materials from breaking, and avoiding any other damage to your furniture will help it to last longer and keep looking as good as the day you bought it. Cleaning it before packing it away will also help prevent any rusting or debris being caked on over time.  

Check the Furnace

Checking to see that your furnace is running well and won’t have any problems during the winter months is one of the most important things to check inside your home. Not only can this affect the heat in your home but also the hot water. All the hot air that you need in your home to keep the temperature up stems from your furnace. If that goes out, your family could be in big trouble when it gets colder outside.

Average furnace repair costs can range from as low as around $60 to as high as around $1,000. It’s important to get it checked to make sure that you won’t be blindsided by huge costs down the line when it could be much cheaper to fix it early on.

Making small changes to your home in order to protect it from the harsh winter weather will not only help you avoid more work later, but it will help you save money. More protection for your home means less repair costs to worry about in the future. Simple things like cleaning your fireplace and storing your outdoor furniture are just a few of the things that you can do to protect your home and your bank account in these stressful times.

Could your roof or siding use some repair before winter hits? Contact us to get a free estimate!