Every spring, millions of Americans engage in a time-honored ritual known as spring cleaning. But spring isn’t the only time of year when you should perform regular maintenance around your home. Even though we’re still enjoying the warm weather, cold drafts will be upon us before we know it. By this time next month, we’ll be enjoying cooler weather and getting ready for the upcoming winter.
Before the air becomes crisp with an autumn chill, it’s a good idea to start planning ahead for winter weather around your home. In this blog post from J&J Roofing in Roseville, we’ll share home winterization tips to help get your home ready for the cold season. Give us a call to make sure your home is ready for winter this year.
Follow this helpful guide to get your home ready for winter’s chill:
1. Check Your Rain Gutters
Inspect your rain gutter canals and downspouts for signs of damage. Make sure your gutters are clean to prevent clogs that can lead to ice dams. Consider seamless gutter installation or gutter guard installation to reduce the chance of ice dams and icicles causing winter damage to your roof.
2. Examine Your Weather Stripping
Simply updating the weather stripping around your windows and doors can help to keep your home warmer and reduce your heating bills. You should also assess the condition of your garage door seal.
3. Get a Roof Inspection
One of the most common mistakes homeowners make is putting off minor roof repairs. Minor roof problems can become significant when winter’s freeze and thaw cycles start. Have a professional residential roofing contractor evaluate the condition of your shingles, flashing, and roof structure to recommend any necessary repairs.
4. Update Your Insulation
Inadequate attic insulation is one of the most significant sources of heat loss during winter for residential homes. Heat loss through your attic can also cause snow to melt and refreeze, leading to roof damage. Inside your home, exterior walls that feel cold and drafts in your living space indicate inadequate insulation. Adding to your insulation can help to dramatically reduce your energy bills and make your home more comfortable all winter long.
5. Protect the Pipes
On average, a burst pipe can cause around $4000 or more in damages to your home. So, it's recommended to use pipe insulation that can be installed around any exposed PVC or copper water pipes. This small investment can help reduce the risk of possible cracks or flooding in your home.
6. Get Your Furnace Serviced
Your heating equipment is some of the largest producers of home fires. This means you want to have them inspected and serviced each year to ensure they are ready for use.
At the same time, it's also crucial to check the condition of the chimney because it may need periodic cleaning and resealing to prevent water from leaking inside of it and damaging the masonry.
7. Trim Any Trees
When the weather gets cold and the wind blows in, it only takes one dead tree limb covered in snow to break and cause thousands of dollars worth of damage to your home. Another tip to help prepare your house for the winter months is to trim the branches or hire a professional arborist to remove any questionable branches.
8. Inspect Your Patio Area
Because your patio stone is consistently exposed to the outdoor elements, the damage can build up quickly as the winter moves in without proper care. Thaw and freecycles happen naturally, making loose stones even worse and creating a potentially hazardous situation for anyone walking in the area.
9. Look at Your Exterior Walls
No matter what products were used on the house's exterior, they can become vulnerable to freezing, windy, and wet conditions, making it crucial to add this step to your winterization inspection.
Looking for signs like cracking, rot, or dampness is key because damage can all occur throughout the year. These elements can leave the materials brittle and potentially threaten the structural integrity of the interior walls and foundation of the property.
Contact Our Detroit Residential Roofing Contractors
If the thought of winter has you concerned about your monthly energy bills or dreading the cold inside your own home, give us a call at J&J Roofing in Roseville, Michigan. We can inspect your home and make energy-saving recommendations that add value to your home and help your family stay comfortable all winter long.
We offer online consultations, roof inspections, and financing options for a new roof. To connect with a member of our team, contact us at 586-445-6455 or connect with us online to get your home in shape for whatever winter brings this year.