It’s once again that time of the year when the temperature starts to dip and it becomes all the more tempting to stay inside to enjoy the winter wonderland from the cozy comfort of a heated room.
And while all you might need to do to prepare yourself for the winter is break out a heavier coat and set the thermostat a bit higher, your home needs a little more attention to make sure it sees spring without any lasting damage happening in the meantime.
So to help you ensure this winter is one filled only with seasonal cheer and not season-specific disasters, let’s take a look at a couple of ways you can help winter-proof your home this year.
Avoiding the damaging effects of the dam
For some, the sight of icicles hanging from rooftops signifies the best parts of the season; the wonderful sights that blanket the landscape as even the homes join in on picturesque fun.
But for homeowners, icicles, snowed on roofs, and the always frustrating ice dams signify something completely different – the risk of lasting damage to a home’s roof. As ice builds up on your home’s eaves your roof can take a beating and even begin to leak, creating a whole new slew of problems that can put a dampener on your holiday fun.
Luckily, you could avoid the trouble with a little prevention and, depending on the dimensions of your roof, a bit of cordage.
Before the winter weather really begins to set in, simply set up heated cables along the perimeter of your roof to ensure that ice dams and build up don’t get the chance to, well, build up on your roof.
Though in no way a catch-all fix, heated cables can go a long way in ensuring your roof and your back survive this winter.
And if you do find yourself battling an ice dam this winter, don’t worry, it’s not the worst winter disaster. Just take a breath and take a look at these quick fixes for de-icing your home.
Spigot sweaters and keeping the water in your pipes
Every winter brings the same discussion back to the forefront of homeowners’ minds; the threat of frozen or, even worse, burst pipes. And while there are some seriously effective steps you can take to ensure you never have to deal with this winter disaster, such as insulating pipes, there are a couple of simple things you can do before it’s too late.
The easiest one is to simply keep your house warm. A pipe needs freezing temperatures to freeze.
For any outdoor pipes, such as your yard’s hose spigot, an easy to install foam insulation sleeve is the perfect winter accessory for your water system. Alternatively replace it with a frost-proof hose bib.
While these steps will help your home survive another winter, prevention is only part of the solution. So, if you find you need a little extra help this season in weatherproofing your home, feel free to give us a call to schedule a consultation!
