Simple Home Renovations to Make Your Home Winter Ready


 

Winter is both a welcome and dreaded season of the year. The way snow cleans the air and blankets the landscape is curiously refreshing. Also, a chill in the air adds excitement to the year-end holiday season. Still, worth noting is the fact that winter lasts for three months. During that stretch, temperatures drop, frozen precipitation accumulates and winds pick up. Houses and commercial buildings often come in for a battering from the elements. While sheltering people, these structures absorb the brunt of winter's fury. Fortunately, there are definite measures to take that blunt the cold season of the year.

1. Minimize ice formation in sensitive places

Make sure gutters are clear of debris (which holds moisture) and attend to any areas where water aggregates. Some gutters tend to warp, allowing water to pool in certain spots. Similarly, disconnect outside hoses, draining them thoroughly. If there are external faucets, close their valves completely.

2. Keep out the cold where fissures exist

Attend to cracks or openings caused by aging or some form of damage. Caulk will adequately close up any such cracks. Furthermore, weatherstrip the windows and doors while making sure the attic and internal walls are properly insulated.

3. Protect the roof

By plugging any leaks that may have sprung. A careful inspection of the attic can reveal any new openings to be sealed. External protection includes pruning trees in close vicinity to the roof. Limbs weighed down with ice and snow can do serious harm when they break off and fall on the roof. A contractor found through b2c commerce can stress test the roof for snow weight capacity.

4. Keep your indoor plumbing from freezing

By wrapping basement and crawl space water pipes with insulation. Enfolding the water heater in a blanket (or two) can also curtail heat transfer during the coldest months.

5. Move furniture away from radiators and heating vents.

Not only does this allow for proper dispersal of warm air, but it also protects the furnishings from damage and warping.

6. Shut up the flue over the fireplace.

Not only do cracks, gaps, and fissures let warm air out and cold air in; chimneys are primary offenders where drafty houses are concerned. Open the flue only when the fireplace is in use.

7. Minimize the possibility of ice dams

By properly ventilating the attic. Melting snow that slides from roof to gutters can leak into the house. An aired-out attic will prevent the water from bleeding through and damaging interior walls.

8. Drain the household water system

If you spend the winter at another location. There is no telling how cold it will get.

9. Consider an emergency generator.

Winter winds and built up ice can bring down branches, power lines, and transformers. Preparing for power outages not only protects the family, but it also keeps the house warm and intact until the utility company arrives.

The above are fairly simple tasks to accomplish. Long-term improvements might be wise. For example, you can only patch up a roof so many times before a new one is necessary. Likewise, a furnace has a life expectancy of 20 years on the outside. It might be time to replace it. Along the same lines, have the water heater inspected. An upgrade can provide greater efficiency and perhaps pay for itself. Depending on where you live, winter can be mild or it can be vicious. Getting ready for the worst provides assurance and peace of mind to responsible homeowners.

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