Now that the fun of Halloween is over, it’s time to buckle down and get serious about preparing your home for winter. A neglected home will soon become run down and rather costly since small repairs left undone soon transform into big repairs or major renovations.

Homeowners can keep homes safe and happy by maintaining a regular seasonal schedule. With a little help from family members or a professional, making your home more energy efficient and ready for winter is a cinch.

20 Tips and Tricks for Preparing for Winter:

  1. If it’s time for new siding, installing it before the snow flies will be a huge help in keeping your home warm and thereby more energy efficient. Vinyl is an affordable and popular choice for new siding and comes in a wide selection of colours so you can increase its curb appeal in time for Christmas.
  2. Have our professionals install blown-in insulation for a warm, toasty, more functional home interior.
  3. Install new energy efficient windows now and save on heating costs. New windows can also reduce noise from outside, such as the snowplow roaring by at 4:00 am.
  4. Weatherproof your home with house wrap for lower heating costs.
  5. Now that most of the leaves have fallen, clean out gutters so snow and ice doesn’t build up over winter. Add downspout extenders to direct water away from the home.
  6. Alternately, get rid of old, sagging gutters with brand new ones. Consider having a Leaf Guard installed for ease of maintenance and proper drainage.
  7. Consider new siding and/or windows for your commercial building too before winter and keep heating costs down with an attractive store front that keeps customers coming back.
  8. Cover outdoor furniture and BBQs with tarps after wiping down and ensuring everything is dry before storing.
  9. Make sure your snow shovel or snow blower are ready to go with the first snow fall. Top up salt and sand supplies.
  10. No matter what the age of your furnace, have it inspected every season and change filters if required. Your family inhales the air in the house—keep it fresh!
  11. Also consider a programmable thermostat that can save hundreds of dollars on heating costs annually. Lower the temperature when no one is in the house and have it warmed up on your commute home for a toasty interior.
  12. Caulk and reseal trim before frigid air descends. Look for cracked caulk or chipped paint and make repairs as necessary.
  13. If you have a concrete deck or walkways, apply a concrete sealer to prevent water from getting into cracks, freezing, and cracking further.
  14. Have the chimney and fireplace cleaned out and inspected. A good trick is to get in the habit of closing the fireplace damper after it has cooled to prevent heat from escaping. This is also a good time to replace batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
  15. Special care should be taken with trees in and around your property. Icy branches can be a real hazard to siding and windows. Trim away dead branches but leave major pruning for later in the winter after dormancy. Also, clear leaves and debris from the roof to prevent mildew issues.
  16. The attic may be an attractant for critters over the cold months. Inspect it for proper ventilation and holes in the fascia that require repairing. You don’t want birds getting in and causing damage.
  17. Check door frames and repair cracks and gaps as necessary with foam or weather stripping.
  18. Consider purchasing foam sleeves to insulate hot water pipes in the basement or crawl space. Check if you can cover pipes between the hot water tank and wall as well. Measure before heading to the hardware store.
  19. Another excellent energy saving trick is to reverse the switch on ceiling fans. The fan produces an updraft that pushes the heated air from the ceiling down to where you need it.
  20. Disconnect garden hoses and drain remaining water. Store hoses and turn the shut-off valve outside the home if you don’t have frost-proof faucets. Drain irrigation systems as well or call a professional to get it done for you.

Our Phoenix team cares and we’re ready to help you prepare for winter. Take the time and attention to prevent your home from deteriorating into a major renovation by performing small repairs now. Then you can spend more time keeping warm and cozy inside, knowing your home is ready to take on Jack Frost.