As we head deeper into the fall, the cold and wet weather of winter is just around the corner. Although our West Coast seasons are much milder compared to the rest of Canada, we still need to perform our due diligence and protect our homes from the ravages of winter. When it’s raining horizontally outside, but you know your home is leak-proof, you’ll be happy you prepared.

Steps to protect your house from winter:

  1. First of all, keep the heat inside your home! Grab a caulking gun and seal cracks on baseboards, trim, wall openings, and any other areas, such as the attic. You’ll save a great deal of money on heating when home openings are sealed to prevent cold air and moisture from infiltrating.
  2. Make repairs to cracked or buckling steps around the house to prevent slips, falls and injuries. Buy your supply of salt and sand now to keep walkways safe.
  3. Trim all the trees around your home and remove dead branches. Alternately, hire a tree service. Serious harm can result from falling debris when the winds come screeching.
  4. Clean out all the gutters around your home to ensure sufficient drainage. A regular cleaning helps to avoid gutter damage, ice dam build-ups, or snow from melting into your basement.
  5. Consider installing gutter guards now, such as Phoenix’s Leaf Guard System. Prevent build-up of dead leaves and flying debris over the entire winter season.
  6. Ask a professional if your home could benefit from more insulation, such as House Wrap or Blown-in insulation.
  7. Avoid bursting, frozen pipes mid-winter by wrapping basement and crawl space pipes with insulation.
  8. If your windows are old and outdated, then they’re likely not energy efficient. Research new window options for your home and reap the benefits of lower heating bills.
  9. Prevent winter misery from power outages by investing in a home generator. A standby generator is a lifesaver that keeps your fridge, lights, and heat running in the event of the power going out.
  10. Ensure the carbon monoxide detector is working all winter. Furthermore, install one on every floor of the home.
  11. Mount metal or rubber door sweeps to close gaps between the bottom of the door and floor to prevent further heat loss.
  12. Prepare an emergency kit for the home. Ideal items to compile include non-perishable food, a car charger for electronic devices, flashlights, batteries, blankets, road salt, and extra cash. Throw in medications and other first-aid supplies. You can also purchase a pre-made kit.
  13. Contact your home insurance provider to see if they cover any winterizing expenses.

Let Phoenix Siding make the exterior of your home beautiful! We have been installing cedar, HardiePlank, vinyl and many more for over 30 years. As the trusted Vancouver Island experts in all aspects of siding installation from commercial to residential, new builds or renovations, we can help you choose the best type for any project big or small.

Call us at 250-758-3818 or email us blake@phoenixsiding.ca today to find out more about what we can do for you!