How to get your house ready for the coming winter.

Fall Maintenance

It’s that time of year. It’s time to get your house ready for the coming winter. In addition to your regular yard and garden maintenance regime here is a list of the 6 most important things you can do around the house to ensure that it makes it through the coming predictably cold weather without problems.

1) Cleans leaves and debris form all gutters and downspouts making sure that the gutters are sloped properly and flow freely. Clogged gutters can lead to ice buildup at the roof edge which may cause water damage to the interior of your house. Check downspouts to ensure that they are directed far enough

away from the house so as not to cause any water pooling at the foundation.

2) Check all basement window wells, if installed, to ensure that they are free from debris and have at least 6 inches of clear gravel in the bottom to allow for good drainage. It’s a great idea to install plastic window well covers if you haven’t already. They prevent the window well from taking on excess rain and snow

3) Cover your air conditioner. Don’t use a cover that is too tight. This could encourage small animals to nest inside the air conditioner housing causing possible damage to the unit. Simply cover the unit with a piece of weighted plywood. This will allow proper airflow through the unit and protect it against physical damage that can occur in winter. Make sure that you turn off the air conditioner breaker at your electrical panel. This will prevent accidental operation of the unit if the thermostat is switched to the cooling mode in temperatures that are too cold.

4) Disconnect and remove hoses from exterior hose bibs including those in garages. Remove hose sprayers and accessories, drain hoses and store them in a dry location. Prepare the hose bib by draining any excess water in the line and shutting off the water supply from the inside of the house.

5) Check all windows to ensure that they are properly closed and that the seal levers work. All windows should have a tight positive seal in order to prevent any heat loss during the winter. If you have thermal pane windows, check the glazing thermal seal looking for condensation or streaking between the panes of glass. If present it is recommended that you repair of replace the sealed glazing unit within the window sash. Windows with damaged thermal seals can lead to heat loss and will increase heating costs during the winter months.

6) This is a good time to have a look in the attic to ensure that the insulation is in place and has not been disturbed by human causes or animals. Attic insulation should be evenly distributed throughout the attic space. Top it up if you think you need to. Check that the attic access hatch has a good weather seal installed to prevent heat loss at the hatch. Increased insulation will have a positive impact on the operating costs of your house. Check the attic ventilation especially around the perimeter of the attic. Poor or missing ventilation in these areas can lead to heat loss and ice buildup on the roof surface. Eventually that ice can build up to a point where it may melt within the attic at the heat loss areas causing water damage inside the house ceilings and walls

These tips can save you time, money and help prevent damage to your property.

For a new career in the growing field of home inspection:

Brian Daley

Registered Home Inspector

Brian Daley is a registered home inspector

and author of Guide to Home Inspections and the Home Inspection series.