Winter is upon us and with it comes freezing temperatures and all sorts of extreme weather conditions, especially here in Idaho. It is very important to ensure that your home is ready for these temperatures and conditions. The reason why it is important to prepare your home for the winter is that winter can cause serious damage to your home. There are several things you can do to prepare your home for the winter, even when winter is almost already here. 

Ways To Prepare Your Home For The Winter

There are many ways to prepare your home for the winter. These tips would also be useful any time of the year when cold weather unexpectedly appears. If you live in a state that has very cold winters or simply deals with cold weather throughout the year, then it is vital to keep your home ready for those temperatures and conditions.

Get Your Heating Systems Checked Out

The most important thing to have working in your home when it gets cold is your heating system. If your furnace goes out in the winter time, it can cause you and your family major headaches. You will not have any hot water, you will be cold, and you will need a heating repair right away. If you try to get your heating system checked out when you start noticing that something is wrong before it completely breaks down or before winter arrives, you will be in a much better place when the weather changes. 

There are several indicators of your furnace breaking down that you should be on the lookout for. One of those indicators is that you are constantly needing to turn up your thermostat. Another is that your utility bills seem to be increasing. Lastly, you simply feel like the temperature is cooler in your home or the air coming from the vents does not seem to be warm.

Inspect Your Roof

Another important preparation to make for your home is to make sure that your roof does not have any issues. It would be really difficult to find out that you have a leaky spot in the roof after it snows or that your roof cannot withstand the weight of a heavy snowfall. That is why it would be a good idea to have your roof inspected before winter. You could even conduct your own roof investigation. Check your roof for any cracked or missing shingles and any spots where caulk is missing and check the structure for any signs of sagging.

Check That Gutters And Downspouts Work Properly

The next thing that you need to do to make sure your home is prepared for winter is check your gutters and downspouts. If there is debris in your gutters, it is important to get them removed in order to avoid water pooling on the roof. If water pools outside the gutter, it can freeze and create dangerous icicles or could melt and create a leak in your roof. If your downspout or gutters are clogged, then it could create ice dams which could cause major damage to your home that would be expensive to repair. Be sure to check your gutters before the winter to avoid these issues.

Make Sure Windows And Doors Are Properly Insulated

Another good thing to do before winter for your home is to check that your windows and doors are properly insulated. If your door or windows are not well insulated, then you could lose heat from inside your home to the cold exterior. This could drastically affect your heating bill and could also cause your home to become cold. Make sure that you have properly caulk around the frames and an air tight door. Also consider using thick drapes to keep the heat inside.

Are You Looking For A New Home?

If you liked these tips for preparing your home for the winter and want more tips for your home, contact us at Cole Val Construction. If you are looking for a change of scenery and are wanting to build your dream home that is prepared for the winter, we would be happy to help you. We build custom homes here in Idaho. For more information, reach out to us today.