Is your place prone to bad winter? Have you been taken aback by storms before and want to prepare your family for the next time it strikes? If that’s the case, you’ll have to ensure that your family is ready for the worst winter conditions.
Making the necessary preparations for winter is as essential as preparing for a storm season. That’s because, in other regions, winter can cause dangers that you don’t usually experience.
While thinking about how you can spend the holiday season with your family or friends, you’ll also have to make essential preparations at home. Below is a simple guide that will aid you in preparing for the worst of winter.
Don’t Let the Pipes Freeze
Insulating the pipelines is the first step of preparing your house for the cold. If you let the water freeze, it’ll expand and increase the pressure in your plumbing system. That’ll damage both copper and plastic coppers around the house, causing it to flood.
Water pipe insulation will save you from expensive bills by preventing flooding. It’ll also prevent heat loss in your home and minimize the damage caused by burst pipes.
Fix Gaps around the Door
If your home has gaps, you’re allowing a considerable amount to escape, allowing your heating appliances to consume more electricity. In turn, that will make your bills more expensive. You can use silicone caulk on the doors or windows to fix the gaps. Most caulk fillers you can find in local hardware stores are cheap and can do the trick.
But you have to check that you’re using the all-weather caulk so that you don’t have to repair the gaps sooner. If your home has an attic stairway, you’ll also drastically lose heat. You can use a cover to insulate your stairs and keep the warmth trapped inside your home, making it an easy way to save money on your utility bills.
Fix Other Visible Damage
Before winter comes, make it a habit to walk around your home to note which rooms need repairs. It’ll also help you look for anything that can damage your home during a winter storm, especially structural problems. Firstly, look for loose shingles or siding that the wind can blow away. Then, seal the gaps where wind-swept rainwater can enter and cover or store away appliances or toys to protect them from the wind.
Lastly, examine the current condition of your foundation, roof, windows, and walls. Look for problems that you think might need repairs or replacements, and get the necessary work done within a week.
Invest in Good Insulation
If your home doesn’t have quality insulation, you’ll be wasting your money and making your family feel uncomfortable. Most homeowners lose nearly 30% of the warmth in their homes by leaving damaged roofs unattended, so the attic is the first place you have to get insulated. If you’re not familiar with which kind of insulation or how much you’ll need, ask your local contractors, and they’ll be more than happy to guide you.
Putting Fans on Reverse
If your ceiling fans have a reverse setting, take advantage of it. Your ceiling fan’s design allows them to push the heat down instead of allowing it to rise naturally; hence, making it essential that they run in a clockwise direction. Doing this will help homes with high ceilings to retain the warmth down around their families instead of allowing it to rise.
Trimming Hanging Trees
Make it your family’s habit to prepare before winter comes. You can start with cutting down overhanging tree branches or dying limbs that can break during the storm. You’ll also have to trim overgrown shrubs and bushes, especially if they’re prone to damage resulting from the storm. Make sure to also cover the outdoor faucets. That will prevent them from freezing.
If your place is susceptible to heavy snowstorms, you can also try covering your grill with a tarp; however, don’t cover a heat pump. That’s because it’ll need access to air while keeping your family comfortable during winter.
Keeping Gutters Clean
Blocked gutters will stop water from draining properly, damaging your property. If your gutter doesn’t drain melted ice or rain properly, it’ll leak into your home and cause water damage. Before winter comes, make it a habit to free the gutters from debris such as fallen branches and leaves. You’ll also have to make sure the pipes are clear.
Buying the Right Items
Ensure you have enough emergency supplies, including warm clothes, radio, or other similar means of gathering news, food, and drinkable water. You can also hide away additional items that you think will keep you warm during winter. That can include ski pants. Even if most people use them for skiing, they can be an alternative to keeping yourself warm during winter.
You might also have to hide away required prescriptions if one of your family members has a long-term condition.
Try to keep your family safe and warm during winter while also protecting your property from damage caused by the cold weather.
