Even though it may not be at the top of your list of priorities, preparing your house for winter should be done as soon as possible. After all, if you don’t take the time to prepare, cold weather, snow, and ice can cause serious damage to your property, especially to your roof.

We’ll provide you a checklist in this article to make sure you’re ready for winter!

ROOF CHECK

The last thing you want is to find out that your roof needs repair after the first snowfall. You may prevent this by taking the time to inspect your roof before the first snowfall. This are some items to check before winter starts:

  • Missing or broken shingles
  • Lichen or moss
  • Cracked caulk
  • Rust on flashing
  • Cleared chimney

If you find any of this problems at your roof, remember to call Fixx for a quality repair!

TREE CHECK

Spend some time inspecting your property to check for any branches that are hanging over your roof and could cause damage if they were to fall. In addition, leaks in your home’s siding or roof can be brought on by overhanging limbs and twigs. The distance between tree limbs and branches and your home should be at least 5 feet to avoid any damage.

GUTTERS AND DOWNSPOUTS CHECK

When the water from rain or snow freezes, blocked gutters and downspouts can damage your home’s foundation or result in ice dams. This may require expensive repairs. Therefore, take the time to clean up your gutters of debris like leaves and twigs after the leaves have fallen but before the winter arrives. Make sure they are still linked and are not sagging as well. If so, spend some time tightening the gutter hangers and downspout brackets. Finally, replace anything that is broken or worn out.

WINDOW AND DOORS CHECK

Every year, re-caulk your windows and doors to stop heat loss and water damage when summer or winter season hits. You can usually complete it in an afternoon for about $20 if you buy a caulk gun and a tube of external caulk.

To be clear, just the exterior molding around your windows and doors needs to be caulked. Use external silicone caulk to avoid shrinking and expanding as the seasons change since it is less vulnerable to high temperatures.

CHIMNEY CHECK

Even if you only use wood as a secondary source of heat and just utilize your fireplace for decorative purposes, you should still get it examined and cleaned before each burning season if you have one.

Creosote deposits accumulate inside your chimney when you burn wood. Creosote is both very flammable and toxic. The smoke from a fire can ignite it when enough of it accumulates in your chimney, which can result in a chimney fire. Chimneys are a common source of house fires. Your family and house can be kept safe from fire risks by having your chimney inspected before winter.

REMEMBER THIS TIPS TO HAVE A SAFER WINTER FOR YOUR HOME & FAMILY!