The arrival of cold winter weather calls for hunkering down in the warmth and comfort of your home. But when said home is ill-prepared for cold snaps, an outdoor winter wonderland can very quickly turn into indoor winter woes. All it takes is a little work winterizing your home with the help of weatherproofing materials and outdoor lifestyle covers to get you prepared for whatever Mother Nature throws your way.
Chimney Sweep
After months of sitting dormant your indoor fireplace will need to be refreshed before it can once again keep your home nice and toasty. Preparing your fireplace for the upcoming cold by phoning a local chimney sweep is the ticket. Have them give your miniature smokestack a thorough cleaning. Soot buildup and animal nests are common causes of flue blockage that any professional can handle with ease.
Outdoor fireplaces will also require your attention if you plan on spending chilly winter evenings by the fire. Test the flue for efficiency and clean the fireplace of any soot or debris, making sure to use a sofa cover or sectional cover to keep fireside furniture safe from the mess.
Wintry Windows
Your home’s windows are the number one culprit for allowing heat to escape in the winter. Keep cold drafts at bay by inspecting window frames for gaps, cracks, and any other opportunities for the chill to enter your home. Weatherstripping can be added to the base and edges of your windows to prevent drafts from entering your home when winter winds come to town.
Gutter Ball
It can be easy to forget about the gutters when prepping your home for winter. However, they’ll be hard to ignore if they ice over when temperatures drop. Clearing your gutters of leaves and other debris ensures that precipitation can flow without any obstructions, which in turn prevents both icicles and ice dams from calling your gutters home. This in turn keeps water from flooding down the side of your house and damaging your walls and foundation.
Pipe Up
Countless homeowners have had to deal with the inconvenience of frozen pipes every winter. Frozen pipes are an all-too-common hassle, but steps can be taken ahead of winter to prepare your pipes for falling temperatures.
The most important step in prepping your pipes is to insulate them. Exterior pipes found in exposed spots such as garages, attics, and on the outside of your home should take priority. Foam pipe sleeves or pipe wrap strips protect against freezes that can lead to pipe bursts. Any patio furniture should also be protected from the water rush of a busted pipe with waterproof outdoor patio covers like a sectional cover.
Caulk of the Town
Drafts are a cold weather nuisance that can put a frost on cozy evenings spent indoors. Thankfully, there are simple preventative measures you can take to insulate the spots in your home where winds can sneak in.
Caulking is a simple solution to your cold draft problem. A basic caulking gun can be picked up at any hardware store and can be used on every draft spot in your home, from window frame gaps to drafty door frames.
A Chill Grill
Preparations to ready your home for a harsh winter shouldn’t be limited to the indoors. Your backyard appliances require extra protection as well, particularly grills. Heavy snowfall and freezing temps can damage your grill in both appearance as well as function.
Year-round covers are ideal for keeping grills of all shapes and sizes protected, especially from the wrath of winter. A properly fitted cover ensures that no snow can seep through to the grill underneath and that no hail will scratch the surface. Many grill owners take protective measures a step further and store their covered grills in the garage for the duration of the season.
Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Excess moisture from snow and other wintertime precipitation can cause significant damage to wooden decks and patio furniture. This moisture can lead to warping, cracking, and paint deterioration for you to deal with at the end of the season.
Protecting your deck with sealant is an essential step in prepping your outdoor areas for winter. Clean your deck of any debris before applying sealant solution to any wooden surfaces that will be exposed to the elements. Patio furniture covers such as a sofa cover can be used on wooden furniture for an extra layer of protection from storms and snow.
All Systems Go
After months of sitting dormant, your home’s heating system will require some extra attention before stepping up to the plate. Start by test running your system to ensure that everything is in working order before temperatures really begin to drop. The last thing you want is to have to deal with is a faulty heater when the cold kicks in.
Replacing the furnace filters is another step to get your system in shape. Having a fresh filter in place will keep your heat running smoothly and save you from costly repairs.
Lastly, perform a maintenance check on all of the alarm systems in your home from fire to carbon monoxide and security. Having the peace of mind that home sweet home is safe and sound will help you relax and enjoy the holidays that much more.
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