Use this checklist to prepare your home for winter

Your home is your defense against the elements. It protects you from precipitation and temperature. But it can’t be a good defense if you don’t help it’s defense system, among them, the paint. Here’s a complete checklist to prepare your home for winter.

Check your home’s heating and air conditioning system

Central heating and air conditioning systems can last from 12-20 years depending on the maintenance they get. Before the weather goes cold, change out the filters. If you have a care contract in place, have your provider give it a once over.

Paint, caulk and seal exterior wood

Exterior wood takes a beating from the cold and wet weather to come. Protect it by giving it some love now. Check over exterior wood for signs of mold, mildew, rot or other deterioration. If you find any, it might be a good time to have a professional come and repair or replace the pieces.

It’s much more likely that you will find the caulk in your frames and trim has deteriorated. Add new paintable or clear caulk to seal out the moisture and cold. Wooden decks should be stained or sealed every few years. One way to tell if it’s time is to pour water on the wood. If it beads up, you are safe for another season.

Check your drainage

Drainage is crucial to allow melting snow an opportunity to flow away from your home. Pooling can cause growth of mold and mildew, and damage your paint. Clear away downspouts, move soil that might have filled in, and make sure water has clear paths to get away from the house.

Clean your gutters

It might be early in the season for this task. Once the leaves have fallen, clear out the gutters. When they are full of tree debris, they overflow sending water running down the exterior of your home. More scary, the water can cause deterioration to the foundation and run into your basement.

Clean your chimney

If you pay attention to the statistics, a chimney can be a fire hazard if not properly cared for. So before you build the first cozy fire of the season, get a chimney cleaning company to clear it out and give it a clean bill of health.

Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors

Statistically speaking, most fires happen in winter. Between open fireplaces, furnaces running full tilt and warming electrical heaters and blankets, it’s bound to happen. Keep your family safe by practicing proper usage and testing your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Shut down the pool and the sprinkler system and drain outside faucets

You will have to take care of the water outside of your home. Your pool has specific instructions on how to properly seal it up for the winter. The sprinkler system will need to be turned off and the lines drained as well. If you skip this, you could be looking at blown out lines from water freezing in them. Drain all of the lines that have spigots outside. This way, if the water freezes, there is room to expand without breaking anything.

Check your trees

Trim back trees while they are still healthy and robust from summer. Make sure tree branches are trimmed away from your home. This takes away the option for pests and water to use the branches as a bridge into your home.

Cover your patio furniture

Get your patio furniture ready for hibernation by letting it air dry out for a solid day. This will keep moisture from being trapped inside the cover with it to make a mildew mess for spring. Once it’s dry, cover it tightly for the winter.

Prepare for snow removal

Now is a great time to pull out the snowblower and make sure it’s prepped for use. If you don’t have salt and shovels handy for the first big snow storm.

Our estimators are happy to provide you a free estimate on your home’s exterior repairs and paint. Contact us now to set one up.