It might only be the start of October, but soon enough the cold - freezing cold - weather will be here. By preparing your home for winter sooner rather than later, you can ensure that when the snow starts to fall, your home is properly protected. If you fail to protect your home from the oncoming winter weather, it could end up being severely damaged to the point where it’s no longer livable. That’s a scary thought, isn’t it - not having a home to live in?
To prevent your home from being damaged by the winter weather, here are some things to consider doing:
Get your pipes freeze-proofed
One of the most common home emergencies in the winter months is burst water pipes due to freezing. A burst water pipe can cause a small amount of water to leak out, or it can cause your entire home to become flooded. That’s why it’s so important that before winter, your have your water pipes freeze-proofed. You can opt to do this yourself, or you can hire a professional to do it for you, depending on how confident you feel about doing it yourself. There are various methods for doing this, the most successful, however, tend to be heat tracing and the use of insulation.
Check your home for damp and mold
The sight of damp or mold is enough to send most homeowners into a frenzy. A lot of homeowners believe that once your home has damp and mold, it can never be got rid of. However, that’s far from true - it can be hard to alleviate, but it’s not impossible. However, the sooner you notice it, the better. The reason it’s important to check your home for damp and mold before winter sets in is because the presence of it indicates a problem in your home. Normally, the cause of damp and mold is one of two things: a lack of ventilation or a leak. If it’s the latter, it will only get worse throughout the winter. So it’s best to find the source and get it dealt with as soon as possible.
Have your roofing and gutters checked
As soon as the trees are bare, it’s time to check your gutters for any blockages. This is important as come winter, rainfall increases. Should there be, a particularly heavy bout of rain and the water fails to drain properly it could damage your home’s walls and foundations. This could lead to all sorts of expensive problems. But by taking the time to clear out your gutters, this can be prevented. While you’re up on the roof checking your gutters, you may as well also take the time to check your roof itself. What you want to look out for are any tiles that are missing, cracked or damaged in any way, as these may allow water or pests to enter your home.
To ensure that come winter your home is properly protected from the elements, take note of the advice above. Your home is yours’ and your family’s sanctuary, and so, the last thing you want is a lack of preparation causing it to be damaged.
