Did you know that winter storms cause billions of dollars in damages in the US each year?
As a homeowner, sometimes it’s impossible to avoid being a victim of winter storms completely. With that being said, there are some things you can do to better prepare your family, and your home, for the cold weather and the storms that come with it each year.
In this article, we’ll give you a few winterization tips and tricks that you can use to make sure you’re ready for the first winter storm. That way you can have peace of mind knowing that you’re as prepared as possible for the change in season.
Check Your Gutters Thoroughly
Before it gets too cold outside, you’re going to want to check out your gutters and make sure they’re ready for the winter. Removing all debris and confirming that your gutters are secured to your house is all you need to do to get the job done.
If you leave too much debris in your gutters, it will get wet and freeze during the winter. That will, in return, cause your gutters to sag, or even collapse, which is a repair cost you don’t want to deal with.
Protect Your Home’s Plumbing Pipes
When most people think about winterizing their homes, they first think about protecting their plumbing. Frozen pipes are a great way to create a leak in your home, which of course isn’t what you want to wake up to on a cold morning.
A few pro tips? Keep your garage door closed, especially if you have water supply lines located there. Open up kitchen cabinets to allow warm air to reach your plumbing pipes.
Also, leave a drop of water running from a faucet or two in your house. Even the smallest trickle of water can help prevent your pipes from freezing.
Inspect Your HVAC System
If there’s ever a time where you’re going to need your HVAC system, it’s during a winter storm. So, before it gets cold again, have your preferred local HVAC contractor come out and inspect your system to confirm it’s ready for the cold.
If you’ve got a boiler in your home, make sure you’re using a boiler repair specialist, that way you can ensure that it’s ready for the winter, too.
Create an Emergency Kit
While it’s not fun to think about, it’s important to prepare for a worst-case scenario that every winter storm could create: a power outage. And while there’s only so much you can do without power to keep warm, having an emergency kit prepared beforehand can help make the experience less stressful.
Most of the items found in a power outage emergency kit are already lying around your house somewhere. You just need to get them all together in a container of some kind and then store that container in an easy-to-find location.
Winterization Tips and Tricks for Your Home
That is a basic guide on winterization for your home! So, as long as you keep these ideas in mind, and prepare the right way, you and your family should be ready for the cold before the winter season arrives!
Looking for more ways to improve and protect your home? Check out our blog!
