Cold weather making its grand arrival calls for bundling up in the cozy comfort of our homes, enjoying home-cooked meals and mugs of hot cocoa. But when said home hasn’t been properly prepared to deal with the cold, what should be a winter wonderland can very quickly turn into cold weather woes. Prepping your home with the help of weatherproofing materials and outdoor lifestyle covers, however, will get you prepared for whatever Mother Nature throws your way in these chilly months.
Smoke Show
After almost a year of sitting unused, your indoor fireplace will need to be inspected and perfected before it can once again warm your home for winter. Get your fireplace in shape by hiring a local chimney sweep and having them give your chimney stack a thorough cleaning. Soot buildup and animal nesting are known for causing significant flue blockage. Thankfully, any trained professional can clear them both out with ease.
Outdoor fireplaces will also require cold weather preparation if you plan on spending any winter evenings relaxing by the warm flames. Test the flue to ensure an unobstructed flow and rid the fireplace of any soot or debris, making sure to use a sofa cover or sectional cover to keep fireside furniture safe from any potential mess.
Rear Window
Your home’s windowpanes are the biggest culprit for allowing heat to escape and cold air to enter. Prevent drafts from making an appearance by inspecting window frames for gaps, cracks, and any other spots where chill can find their way in. Weatherstripping should be applied to the base and edges of your window frames to prevent heat loss or drafts when winter winds come to town.
In the Gutter
Many of us tend to neglect the gutters when prepping our homes for the arrival of winter. However, they’ll be hard to ignore if they ice over when temperatures drop. Clearing your gutters of leaves and other debris ensures that precipitation can flow without any obstructions, which in turn prevents both icicles and ice dams from making a home in your gutters.
Pipe Dream
Countless homeowners deal with the inconvenience of frozen pipes every winter. Busted pipes due to freezing are an all-too-common hassle, but steps can be taken ahead of the winter chill to prepare your pipes for falling temperatures.
The most important step in prepping your pipes is to insulate them. Exterior pipes found in exposed spots such as car ports, lofts, and on the outside of your home should take priority. Foam pipe sleeves or pipe wrap strips protect against freezes that can lead to pipe bursts. Any patio furniture should also be protected from the water rush of a busted pipe with waterproof outdoor patio covers, such as a sectional cover.
Feel the Mastic
Another way to combat the cold weather nuisance of drafts is as easy as it is inexpensive: mastic. A basic mastic gun can be picked up at any DIY center and can be used on every draft spot in your home, from gaps around windows to drafty door frames.
Chilled to Perfection
Preparations to ready your home for a harsh winter shouldn’t be limited to the house itself. Your backyard appliances require extra protection from the elements in the winter months, especially grills. Heavy snowfall and freezing temps can damage your grill in both appearance as well as function.
Equipment covers are ideal for keeping grills of all shapes and sizes protected. A properly fitted cover ensures that no snow can seep through to the grill underneath and that no hail will scratch the surface. Many grill owners take protective measures a step further and store their covered grills in the car port for the duration of the season.
Stainy Day
Excess moisture from snow and other wintertime precipitation can cause significant damage to wooden decks and garden furniture. This moisture can lead to warping, cracking, and paint deterioration for you to deal with at the end of the season.
Protecting your deck with sealant before the bad weather hits is an essential step in prepping your outdoor areas for winter. Clean your deck of any debris before applying sealant solution to any wooden surfaces that will be exposed to the elements. Patio furniture covers such as a sofa cover can be used on wooden furniture for an extra layer of protection.
System Reboot
Months of stagnation means that your home’s heating system will require some extra attention before stepping up to the plate. Begin by giving your system a test run to ensure that everything is up to par before temperatures reach their lowest. The last thing you will want to have to deal with is a faulty heater when the cold kicks in.
Replacing the filters used in your furnace is another step you need to take to get your system in shape. Having a fresh filter in place will keep your heat running smoothly and saves you from costly repairs in the long run. Lastly, perform a maintenance check on all of the alarm systems in your home from fire to carbon monoxide and security. Having the peace of mind that home sweet home is safe and sound will help you relax and enjoy the holidays that much more.
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