Blog | Cold Season Home Maintenance Tips

Winter can cause wear and tear on your home. Homeowners in colder parts of the country are aware of ice, snow, hail, wind, below zero temperatures that cause harm to homes. Frozen pipes can burst, ice dams can cause havoc to a home’s attic, siding, gutters, and more, and if your home is not properly insulated, your heat bills could become sky high! There are many ways you can help protect your home against the harshness of winter through some basic home maintenance tips.

Winter Emergency Supplies

Homeowners living in the mid-west are used to having a couple large snowfalls a year that could cause a homeowner to be stranded in their home for what could be days. For homeowners new to living in colder climates, it is important to make sure you and your home are prepared to battle the winter weather elements when a snowstorm strikes. Check out this winter necessity checklist to make sure you have what you need when a storm hits.

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  Snow Shovel- Even if you have a snow blower, keep a good quality shovel
  around in case your snow blower is not working when you need it most. It’s better to be over prepared than under prepared! Visit the link for a good snow shovel.

• Supplies needed if your electricity goes out: flashlight, snacks, bottled water, a transistor radio (make sure you have extra batteries), extra blankets and warm clothes, and any other supplies you around for an emergency.
• Rock Salt- Make sure your sidewalk is safe for pedestrians by salting the walkways to melt any dangerous ice.

Home Winterization

Winter can sometimes seem endless, the last thing a homeowner wants to worry about is repairing winter weather damage to their home. Here are some home prep tips for the winter season.

• Drain any water system and disconnect any hoses you might have connected to your home.
• Check the insulation in your homes attic to ensure it can keep the heat in your home to avoid ice damming.
• Change out screen windows for storm windows for an extra pane to keep out unwanted moisture.
• Insulate air conditioner units.
• See our previous blog about “Ice Damming” to take steps to prevent your home from ice dam damage.
• Change out all furnace filters.
• If your home has a fireplace that is actively used during the winter months, make sure the chimney has been cleared of any blockages.
• Remove any dead tree limbs around your home that could be weighed down by snow and ice causing breakage that could potentially damage your home or vehicles.

These are just a few steps you can take to make sure you and your home are prepared to battle the winter elements. Review past blog posts on the ARC website to learn more helpful home maintenance tips.