Winter Home Readiness
We all know what time it is… The first official day of fall may not be until September 22nd, but fall is definitely in the air. Here in Minnesota, the mornings are getting just a little bit chillier and the evenings a little bit darker. Depending on where you live, the aroma of fire pits and fireplaces fills the nighttime air. Eventually your plants will come inside before the first frost. It’s inevitable. It’s coming.
“The fall time of year is the perfect time to evaluate your home and insulate yourself from bigger winter problems.”
One area that many of us fail as homeowners is to prepare for this time of year. The weeks just slip by and then our home is at risk. Why not try to be a smarter homeowner this year and take some time now to get ahead of the coming cold weather and all the trouble that mother nature can bring to your house and yard?
When preparing your home for winter, you should think about the problems you may have experience with your house last winter. Was a room in your house extra cold? Did you suffer from allergy problems or visit your doctor often? How about your roof? Were you missing a few shingles?
Getting your home ready for winter requires you to pinpoint exactly what you saw and how you felt inside and outside the space to ensure those pain points don’t happen again. Even worse, having them become larger issues this year and costing much more financially than they need to.
The fall time of year is the perfect time to evaluate your home and insulate yourself from bigger winter problems. Some natural occurrences you can’t prepare for but you can be proactive with home improvements and have a professional do a winter home audit to ensure your family’s health and your home are in order.
Key home prep areas
Here are a few areas to look at when preparing your home for winter weather:
Windows
When preparing for winter, if you have problems with your windows the best thing to do is replace as many windows as possible all at one time so the house is in good order. Focus on high-priority windows first if you have to. These are the windows in the family room or bedroom — the places where you spend most of your time. Common signs of wear and tear or inefficiency include chipping paint, milky glass, warped vinyl and windows that don’t fully open or don’t fit into the frame properly.
Roof
Water is bad. Very bad… and it will get into whatever it can and wherever it finds a crack. Ensure that your roof is in top condition with professional roof maintenance and repair. If you have been in the home for more than a year and haven’t noticed any problems, missing shingles or backed up water on the roof, there are things you can do to visually inspect it from the ground. If you don’t know how old your roof is, get a professional to inspect it — including the underling, attic and downspouts. You can learn more by reading our article “When Should I Replace My Roof?”
Gutters
While you’re at it on the roof, look down the downspouts of your gutters to ensure they’re protected and clean. A surgical grade, stainless steel premium gutter filtering system prevents debris from entering and allows for easy cleanup. It’s also important that gutters and downspouts are connected to the city sewer system or that they run far away from the house to protect the home from flooding.
Gutters always require extra maintenance even if you don’t live in an area with debris or have large trees. Make sure gutters are on your winter home checklist.
HVAC
Your heating system is essential to winter survival (at least in Minnesota). Whether you choose electric or natural gas, you can maintain the safety and comfort of your home with HVAC service and high-efficiency heating components and systems. Make sure to check early before the big freeze comes. It will cost more to have emergency services done or worse yet on a holiday.
Air quality & family health
Along the lines of checking your heating unit, think about air quality. Safeguard your family’s health by assessing and reducing levels of particulates, chemical pollutants, carbon dioxide and humidity with an indoor air quality test. Professionals can recommend a wide range of solutions for air quality control, water filtering, etc. You are trapped inside in the winter, so this is when it’s important.
Insulation and duct sealing
Make your entire home more comfortable and energy efficient with an ENERGY STAR-certified professional energy retrofit. Energy professionals will test the insulation and duct sealing of your home with thermal cameras, door blasters and more. Even though this may be a winter checklist item, any time of year is a good time to upgrade your home’s insulation and duct sealing.
Last minute items
You also may want to think about these last minute items:
hire a chimney sweeper
get landscaping prepped
order firewood and emergency items
reverse your ceiling fans
turn off exterior faucets and drain irrigation systems
seal up any cracked masonry and other items you’ve noticed along your winter check list journey around the home.
Have you tested your sump pump? Now is the time…
Winter can be enjoyed in your comfy clothes with hot beverages and worry-free with preparation and foresight. Winter can also be a nightmare for your home if left neglected. Hopefully, this list will help you organize your family’s priorities for your home this winter. Maybe its your first home and you haven’t thought of these things yet.