Home Tips For Winter

Winter can be hard on your house. Ice dams, water problems, leaks, frozen pipes and high heating bills don’t have to be a casualty of winter. Here are some of the basic home tips for winter.

Prevent ice dams

Ice dams happen when the snow on the roof melts faster than the ice on the eaves. As the water runs off the roof, it freezes at the eaves and builds up creating an ice dam that can actually damage your house and become a safety hazard. The best ice dam prevention is actually by better insulating the attic and dealing with attic air leaks. The warmer air inside your home is escaping out of the attic and melting the snow on your roof when the snow wouldn’t naturally melt. If you are seeing icicles build up, you may consider checking into your attic insulation.

Frost-proof exterior faucets

Make sure the exterior spigots are emptied and turned off. Then cover them with an insulated cover. You never want to have water sitting in your pipes in the winter. If there is water left in the pipes, it can freeze. As it freezes the water expands and causes the pipes to burst. Anytime pipes break, no matter where they are located is a costly repair. Prevention is the better way to go.

Fix up the roof

Take care of your home’s roof. While winter is not the best time to actually go up on the roof and do repairs, it is the worst time to have a roof leak. Make sure that your home is ready for winter by repairing any problem areas. Fix any roof leaks or broken shingles.

Check the gutters

Make sure your gutters are clean and in good working condition. Clear out all the leaves and debris. The excess water from the rain and snowmelt will need a place to go. Your gutters are designed to catch runoff and channel it into the downspouts. Make sure there aren’t any broken gutter sections or downspouts.

Divert water

The gutter system works with the downspouts to divert water away from your home’s foundation. Remember, to slope the ground away from the basement walls. Don’t ever let water build up by your foundation. This is a common cause of foundation cracks, bowing walls, and structural damage. Proper yard drainage can also divert the water away from the house.

Test your sump pump

A working sump pump is also crucial in the winter months. Make sure you test your sump pump to ensure it is in good condition. If it is showing signs of damage or other problems, you may want to consider upgrading the system by either changing out the sump pump or adding a back-up sump pump to turn on if the primary pump fails.

Fill in air gaps around window and doors

Winter can also be a costly season for heating. Tighten up your building envelope and make your house more energy efficient by caulking around the windows and doors. There are also products available to block the air gaps from the bottom of exterior doors.