If you’re an Ontario homeowner, you’ll want to do all you can to prepare your home properly for the coming weather. It’s important to examine all areas of the home and think about what you should do before the first frost. Properly preparing your home for winter has many advantages. It will help you spot potential areas of weakness before further, more serious problems develop. This sort of preparation can also help you reduce your overall heating bills. Few things are more delightful than sitting in your cozy home on freezing day. All it takes are some simple steps and you can relax no matter how hard the wind blows.
You’ll want to:
Get your furnace examined
Examine your doors and windows
Clean out the gutters
Trim all trees and bushes
Inspect your roof
Check all pipes
Your Furnace
The furnace is the heart of your home. This appliance provides heat during the winter. You want to make sure it’s in good working order before the cold hits. Examine it yourself or consider asking a professional to do so. A professional can spot problems you might not have noticed. Fixing small things now can prolong the life of your furnace and save you money in the long run. If you need a new furnace, now may be the right time to get one. This way, you’re not suffering needlessly through cold weather trying to decide on the right furnace for your home.
Doors and Windows
Doors and windows offer light and air. At the same time, doors and windows allow heat to leak out. Now is the time to look closely at your front door as well as any interior doors. It’s also the time to look carefully at your home’s windows. You’re looking for any evidence of leaks from the outside. One way to find leaks is to tape plastic wrap to a pencil. Bring it in front of the windows and doors. If the plastic wrap moves, this can be an indication there’s unwanted drafts in your home. Be proactive. You can use plastic sheeting and add insulation in early fall. This will head off all winds and keep your home warmer.
Cleaning the Gutters
Your home’s gutters allow water to move freely and avoid puddling over time. While this function is essential, gutters can get clogged over a short period time. Fall is the ideal time of year to examine your gutters closely. You want to make sure there are no impediments there. Clogged gutters can lead to the build-up of ice. Ice can damage your gutters and damage your roof. Icy water can also pour down clogged gutters and get into all parts of your home including your attic and basement. Head off this potentially dangerous scenario by cleaning your gutters right now. Grab a ladder and head up to the side of the gutters with a friend to help. Sweep away anything you see there that doesn’t belong such as leaves. Doing it now means you’re not doing in the middle of an ice storm when you could easily get hurt.
The Home’s Landscaping
Landscaping serves many purposes. Trees, bushes and other plantings provide shade and color. They also add a personal touch to any home. While trees like oak and maple make any neighborhood feel inviting, they can also create dangerous conditions during the Ontario winter. Branches can become laden with ice and fall down on top of the garage or even the home itself. Bushes can block off a pathway and make it hard to navigate in the cold weather. Before winter settles on the land, this is the time to have greenery examined closely. Pruning now can avoid danger later. It may be a good idea to bring in a specialist. They can determine if there are problems with specifics such as root systems and overgrown parts. A specialist can suggest ways to preserve the health of your cherished plantings and keep your landscaping in beautiful shape all year long.
Inspect Your Roof
The roof of your home keeps everything inside dry and free of moisture. Over time, issues can arise with the roof. Tiles may become loose in the wind or even go missing completely. Certain types of roofs have a specific lifetime. A roof may be worn out in a few decades. If you are approaching the end of your roof’s useful life, fall is the ideal time to think about putting in a new one. The mild weather makes it easy to get the job done now before the cold weather sets in. Even if your roof is still fairly new, autumn also makes the perfect time to have it examined. Minor problems can easily lead to greater problems. Now is when you want to remove stray tiles and replace them with new materials. It’s also the time to have the roof examined for any potential leaks. Getting them fixed now will prevent serious damage to the rest of your home.
Check the Pipes
Your home’s pipes make sure that water flows freely from one part to another. Pipes are particularly vulnerable to colder weather. Ice damns can form easily. In doing so, they can make it impossible to do your laundry, wash your dishes or even flush the toilet. Winter is the perfect time to think about how to protect your pipes from the weather. You can make sure the pipes are clad in materials that will keep water flowing freely no matter how cold it gets outside. If you have already put this kind of protection on your pipes, now is a good time to examine the pipes for any evidence the material has cracks or other issues that may make it hard for them function as intended. Removing older padding and replacing it with new materials can prevent leaks later on and keep your home’s water flow in good shape.
Ontario winters can be quite hard on your home. As the weather gets colder, now is the time to think about how to prepare it properly for winter. A few simple, easy changes and close examination of many areas can save you time and money later on. Such actions can also make sure you always have a warm home even in the middle of a lasting blizzard.