Winter is rapidly approaching, and this reminder definitely falls under “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.
Just like the need to prep your car for Winter, you should be doing the same for your most valuable possession, your home. Winter weather does a beating on your home, in ways seen and unseen. The cold itself causes wood and metal to expand and contract all day and all night long. In addition, the rain, sleet and snow…falling, melting, etc, also wear on your home. In fact, the snow will get encrusted, over time, between the shingles on your roof, and can cause “shingle heaving”, causing good shingles to buckle over time. That creates space between shingles, which allows moisture to get under the shingles and into the structure. So, make sure any shingles that need to, get repaired now, on the front end. In addition for the roof, clear away any dying trees or dead branches around the roof, now.
Also, clean out the gutters. Now. Debris caught in them will slow the drain, and allow water to not only get clogged in them, but freeze up the gutters, thereby preventing further drainage, and now we are back to roof damage!
Also, insulate pipes. The last thing you want is for pipes to crack, in extreme cold weather. Now, you are looking at sump pumps and water damage in the living space…in the dead of Winter. And filing claims that could have been prevented, as well as money, out of pocket.
And lastly, find the water valve shutoffs, for every single spigot in the house. Many people live a lifetime never knowing where these are, simply because they don’t take the time. If pipes crack, simply shutting them off at the valve, prevents the claims, out of pocket money, and time to repair in the dead of Winter. Taking the time to find them now, prevents misery later.
Oh, one more thing…weather-strip the doors. A simple seal can save significant money on heating bills, preventing you from heating the outdoors, rather than where intended!
