Prepare your Home with our Seasonal Guide for Winter Maintenance

Date
December 7, 2021

Winters in Canada are not just tough on you, but even your homes can suffer. We’ve compiled a tidy guide for you to prepare for winter and keep your home warm, cozy, and free from troubles. Doing this will keep your home in great shape for years to come. 

Check Your Roof

Getting ready for winter begins by making sure that your roof is in good working conditions, in order to prevent damages. Missing or damaged shingles can allow moisture to get into your roof, causing many different problems including roof damage, as well as mold and mildew problems.

Check Your Eavestroughs

In the winter, ice dams can form on the roof of your house. This is especially true in older homes, which may not have been built with the latest ventilation and insulation techniques in the roof decking. Ice dams may form on the roof in the fall or winter, due to the snow melting, and water running down the roof and pooling by the eaves, causing problems such as water intrusion, or a sagging eavestrough. If you do not remove the ice dams, they may cause problems with your roof, such as uneven pressure and a collapsed roof. If you live in an older house, you may want to consider getting a leaf guard installed on your eavestroughs.

Check Your Siding

A cracked siding is an easy target for water damage, mildew, and mold. Thoroughly check your siding and call a professional if you feel it needs repairs. 

Check Your Windows

If you're preparing for an ice storm, a cracked or worn-out window seal can leak excess moisture into your home and raise your heating bill, or you'll have to wear more warm clothes.

Check Your Foundation

Secondary damage can be caused when water seeps through the cracks found within your walls, the basement, or in your foundation. Cracks can result from larger foundation-related issues, so it is a good idea to conduct a thorough inspection at least once per year, and prepare your home for winter.

Assess Your Trees

Heavy snowfall can break branches of large trees and could result in them falling onto your home, in your yard, or your phone/internet lines. Make sure that none of the tree limbs hang over your house or phone lines, or onto your roof. If they do, call a professional or you can simply cut off the dead branches before winter to be safe.

Check Your Pipes

Burst pipes can cause a lot of damage in a short amount of time, and freezing rain can make it worse. Checking them is one of key things to do while preparing for cold weather. The best thing is to insulate your pipes before winter arrives but you can do that during the season too. Extreme cold can also cause damage to the pipes. Drain and disconnect all your taps, especially the ones outside. Ideally, your house should be at least 12.7 degree celsius in case you are away during the winter season. 

Clean Your Chimney

Before you settle down in front of a fire, make sure your chimney is free from debris, creosote buildup, and any unwanted residents.

Check Your Driveway & Sidewalk

The cracks you see in your driveway are a sign of potentially bigger problems. It could be because of a problem with the soil underneath. Water can pool close to your garage or home by making its way through the sagging and cracked concrete, resulting in problems.

Check for Pests

Winter weather preparedness sometimes does not prepare you for the bugs, mice, and more trying to find a warm spot to settle. Check for cracks and cover all of them so that they don’t use the cracks to sneak in.

Shovel Snow Away From Your Foundation

This will help keep water from penetrating your foundation. The best thing to do is to put your snow pile near a sewer and away from the structures so the melted water does not cause any problems. 

Remove Snow And Ice Buildup From Your Vents

Clean your vents or check them to see if they are blocked. Clogged vents make it difficult for your heating system to heat your home effectively. This can lead to moisture problems because of how much stress the system is put through. And an increase in moisture brings more chances of mold and mildew. 

As an additional thought, please carry an emergency kit with you as the weather conditions can get dangerous, especially if you are preparing for a winter storm, and install carbon monoxide detectors as an additional safety measure.

Indesign provides the perfect backdrop to showcase your design expertise. Throughout every season, you can trust your home is built to last. Browse our current communities section here to find the ideal home for you.


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