Are you looking forward to curling up near the firepit while sipping your favorite cup of hot chocolate? The winter season is fast approaching, and so are the freezing temperatures.
And if you live in Asheville, a city in North Carolina that gets blanketed with white during winter. In that case, you must knuckle down to winter home maintenance to tackle the rigors of snowfall and frigid temperatures.
Home maintenance often seems challenging, specifically for someone who has never seen a furnace up close, much less cleaned it. Nevertheless, it doesn’t need to be daunting.
A house generally operates with the changing seasons, bouncing to life in the spring and hunching down in winter. Safe to say that your home will function as a well-oiled machine if you follow the path of this natural arc and keep on top of the house repairs.
In most cases, people hunker down in the chilly months of the year. That’s because while glittering icicles and fluffy snow may create the illusion of a winter wonderland, they also give birth to fallen tree limbs and ice dams.
Not to mention the weather in Asheville is pretty cold and unpredictable to manage home upgrades projects. Therefore, it’s imperative to prepare for the harsh weather.
Here’s a roundup of some winter house repair projects to help protect your humble abode during winter:
Check the Condition of the Windows
When preparing your home for winter, windows are, more often than not, the biggest culprits. That’s because they are responsible for substantial heat loss through cracks, and this, in turn, escalates energy bills. Therefore, improve insulation around the windows and apply caulk to keep the air outside the house during the nights when the temperature drops as low as -18 to -12°C in Asheville.
However, if the windows in your home are outdated or broken, it’s best to replace them. Seek the assistance of Asheville Window Replacement Experts since their expertise and years of experience can help restore the integrity of your windows and boost efficiency. Additionally, professionals can design, fabricate, and embed new windows to ensure your home is ready for the chilly months ahead.
Stock Up on Outdoor Tools
Before the weather forecasting channels indicate an incoming storm, stock up on winter essentials. Invest in a top-quality shovel so you won’t have to hurt your back when digging out two feet of snow. You may also want to buy a high-quality broom to brush away light snow.
In addition, ensure that the snow blower is in excellent working condition. After all, you don’t want to get bogged down in a significant storm with only an orange shovel left by your side. Also, pick up some kitty litter bags to create traction in pathways.
Likewise, create a home survival kit since power disruptions are often common during snow storms. You never know when you will be left without electricity, so stock up a large container with flashlights, portable chargers, and first aid supplies and keep it in a secure place.
Clean Furnace Filters and Ducts
If you have a furnace installed in your house, inspect its working condition all year round. And if the furnace isn’t functioning well, early detection can give you sufficient time to purchase a new one before the cold weather hits your home.
Besides this, also ensure to get the air ducts cleaned by professionals. This way, the air inside your home will become clean and dust-free. This cleaning also helps prevent the filters from catching fire. Most of the time, fires erupted from the filter due to the explosive dust present in them.
What’s more? Cleaning the air ducts and filters also boost the quality of life indoors, as they are responsible for gathering bacteria that affect the air quality inside your home.
Prepare the Pipes for the Colder Months
When the water inside the pipe freezes, it expands and causes cracks to appear in the pipelines. As the ice melts and pipes burst, it saturates the house with floods of water. The lines located at the exterior of your home are at heightened risk; for instance, pipes near swimming pools or outdoor faucets.
Therefore, it’s advisable to prepare and protect your pipes from bursting and freezing before the temperature begins to go down. One best course of action is to insulate them. Ensure the pipes in an unheated garage, basement, and near windows have proper insulation.
Moreover, turn off and drain the outdoor facets before the cold weather hits your humble abode. However, if the pipes in your home are susceptible to freezing, try leaving the faucets dripping gently – the concept is that running water doesn’t freeze.
Take Measures to Avoid Ice Dams
When water begins to amass on your roof’s eaves, it gives birth to ice dams that can severely harm your home’s shingles and gutters. And as this water seeps into your home, it can create chaos and cause significant damage to the floors and paint on the walls.
Therefore, before the cold weather welcomes your home, analyze your house’s exterior frequently and watch for signs of ice dams. See if there are any icicles on the roof since they are the forces that cause ice dams. Also, clear out dirt from the gutter since clogged paths can lead to leaks and dams and cause significant damage to the roof.
You may also purchase a roof rake since this helpful tool prevents ice from forming in the first place.
Clear Out the Gutters
While you were enjoying the last few days of autumn, detritus and leaves accumulated in the gutter. And this is highly hazardous as water could back up against your home and cause severe damage to the roofing, wood trim, and siding.
In addition, blocked paths in the gutter can lead to the malfunctioning of the drainage system and can cause leaks in the home. To save yourself from these problems, clear the drain and remove grime and leaves. And wash large debris clogged in the gutter with a properly-functioning hose.
Also, frequently check and clean up the drain during the colder months to maintain good gutter hygiene. This way, you can ensure the gutters in your home are in good working condition, i.e., directing the flow of water in the opposite direction.
Final Words
Preparing your home for the wintery weather can help truncate energy bills, prevent snowy-climate damages, and give you peace of mind knowing your living space is pristine. Although stormy days, foggy conditions, and cold weather can spell myriad problems, you can keep your home winter-proofed with routine maintenance.
Therefore, prepare a winter home maintenance list and get weaving. Assess the condition of pipes and exterior faucets, weather-proof your windows, remove debris from furnace filters and ducts, and maintain good gutter hygiene. This way, you can enjoy the chilly outdoors and loosen up in a toasty environment inside your home when the temperature drops.
