Get your home winter-ready with my top five list to winterize your home this year.
1. Snowblower and Shovel Ready.
Get the snowblower and shovels ready and pick up a couple of bags of salt or sand. This is Canada, and we will need them. It’s funny that I mentioned this because every year, the first snowfall happens and disappears fairly quickly. It usually winds up being the second snowfall that is 6 inches and I have to pull my snowblower from my backyard in the shed all the way to the front yard and then find out I don’t have any fuel, so I still have to shovel myself, which happens every year. You would think that I hadn’t grown up in Canada based on the way that I act.
2. Cover the Air Conditioner, Pool and Barbeque.
Cover your air conditioner, pool, and barbeque. I’m sure every year, the pool company has a crew scheduled to close your pool, but if you don’t close it, it can create a lot of problems for the following year. The same thing goes for the air conditioner. If you leave it, exposed it prematurely leak or rust as well. Your lines can also oxidize quickly. Barbeque, the same problem again. I always forget to do this, and then your brand new shiny stainless steel barbecue,that you didn’t put it in the garage or cover up properly, will be nice and oxidized or rusty when you go to use it next.
3. The Hose Bib.
This is something I always forget. We all have an access point somewhere, usually in the ceiling of the basement, where you can access a random shut-off that goes outside. Find which shut off is behind the hose and test it before the winter to make sure you’re shutting off the right water source. You can also get frost free hose bibs that allow you to shut the water off from the inside on the outside. If you are looking for some extra protection, a great option is a little hat that is a Styrofoam cup with an elastic on it that connects to the hose bib on the outside to shield it or insulate it from freezing. This should not be your main source of protection asit is only some minor insulation.
4. Check for Holes.
It’s always a good idea to look for holes outside the house, whether it be louvered fan vents or any areas where piping might be coming through the wall, as well as holes made by critters. Bugs and small animals like to find a place to go for the winter. Some of them migrate to Florida with those of us who can afford it, and others just work their way into your home. Any pest control expert will advise you to fill any holes bigger than a quarter of an inch on the outside of your house. A good option for filling holes around your house is pest control spray foam, which is in a green can and can be found at Home Depot. It is also silicone and outdoor caulking; for anything bigger than that, that’s the job for scouring pads. You can pick them up at the dollar store or the hardware store, which are usually made of metal or metallic wool and are fantastic for stuffing bigger holes where mice and other animals can make their way in.
I had a situation one year where a client had a fresh air ventilation hole, which is common for boilers and some older furnace systems that do not pipe directly out, and during a very cold year, a waterline in her furnace room froze. She called me at 11:30 PM to tell me. The waterline had frozen, and I told her to keep an eye on it as the situation may or may not escalate. Within about an hour, the pipe burst, filling her basement. With 2 or 3 inches of water very quickly, I had to go over to do the cleanup at 3 o’clock in the morning. It was not fun. My staff normally start at 8 or 9 o’clock, depending on the project, and I had to get one of my guys to come in at 6 to help me clean up the rest. Although frozen pipes are not always avoidable when the temperature drops to -25°, you can do your part to minimize the impact.
5. A Big Thing is Exterior Water.
What are the chances that your house will be hit with exterior water during the winter? 100% chance.
Double-check that your roof is in good condition. If you see shingles that are breaking or starting to cup, keep an eye on this. Your roof is old or damaged. Your shingles can also start to prematurely die a quick death if you do not have your attic properly insulated. You want to make sure, your gutters are clean, so you are not overwhelming your gutters while they are trying to get rid of the extra water, snow, and ice. Once the water leaves the roof, it will hit the gutters, and then it will hit your downspouts. Make sure your downspouts lead away from the house. Nothing is worse than having all that extra water, not to mention the regular water dumping in the same spot over and over again, right next to your foundation, eroding soil and drainage stone, as well as clogging your weeping system and potentially flooding your basement.
Another thing to watch out for is standing water on pathways and other walking areas where the water either comes out of the downspout in that location or skates right off the roof and lands. It can also be areas where gutters are blocked or broken and where ice can pile up; they can also be hazards in the winter. Speaking of hazards in the winter, if you see icicles that are humungous hanging from your roof, they are usually due heat to escaping, melting, and refreezing. This means or usually means that the insulation in your attic is not sufficient enough to stop your heat from escaping and poses a problem for safety as no one wants to be hit with a huge icicle, but at the same time, you don’t want to spend extra money every year to heat and cool your home because it is all escaping through the roof. The last thing I will say that is not something people really think about is if you have a sump pump or a backflow valve, make sure they are working.
I know this is an exhaustive list, and you’re thinking between now, and the time the winter comes, I really don’t have enough time to do all the things I need to do. Make a list of the most important things, and you will get there.