Is your home ready for the upcoming Canadian winter? Maintaining your home is an important factor to protect one of your largest investments. Here is a list with some tips to help you get started.

Heat Efficiency

Keeping your home free of leaks and drafts is a good way to save money and prevents having to turn up the thermostat. It also prevents moisture from creeping into frames walls and trim. Check the state of your windows and doors and use caulking, weatherstripping or other products to seal any gaps. Consider more energy efficient, walls or windows if they haven’t been updated in sometime. Exterior door frames can expand and contract throughout the seasons so adjusting your doors that look like they are not fitting or that bind slightly when you open them. Consider window film or insulated curtains to prevent cold air from entering the room after the sun has gone down especially when it comes to north facing windows. It’s possible that some of your window seals are broken if there’s moisture trapped inside your windows which means they’ve lost their ability to insulate and must be replaced.

Gutters

Rain and snow should drain away from your house properly, this will prevent freeze thaw cycle damage or ice buildup in areas that could damage your home. Clear out any leaves or debris from your gutters and eaves troughs. Look over your roof for loose shingles or any signs of water leakage. Have a professional look at your eavestroughs and make sure they aren’t draining too close to your house. Put away any of your patio furniture that might accumulate snow or get in the way of clearing snow.

Entry Ways

Help protect your entryways and floors from winter damage brought in by boots and coats. Use a rubber boot tray to hold the melt mixture of snow, dirt and gravel. Place a sturdy rug where necessary to absorb the moisture and trap the dirt. Use a separate coat rack to hang wet outerwear rather than trapping in moisture to evaporate inside your closet. Keep paper towels near the front door to wipe up muddy footprints or snow or to wipe the bottom of your door frames as this will help protect your four-legged family members from rock salts.

Snow Clearing

Make sure you have good equipment to get rid of snow and ice or hire someone who does. Keep your entrances, sidewalks and driveways clear as often as legally required. Your roof and trees may need attention after a big snowfall. Get brooms and shovels out for easy access and make sure they’re ready to handle the task. Snow blowers may need attention to work properly from season to season. Make sure you have ample gravel and salt for sudden snow falls. Once a large snowfall occurs check outside vents and utilities to make sure they’re clear. Clear snow from other areas as often as possible such as your decks, patios, walkways, retaining walls or stairs to prevent damage throughout a season of freeze & thaw cycles. Call a professional if your roof needs snow removal.

Utility Considerations

Check and replace all your filters to improve air and water flow. Fall is a good time to have your furnace, hot water tank and humidifiers inspected for worn parts or faulty valves so that they don’t give out when the temperatures decrease. Wrap your hot water tank in a approved blanket to reduce heating loss and lower your heating costs. It can be tempting to turn down your hot water tank to conserve energy, but experts recommend keeping it above a certain temperature to prevent bacteria from multiplying. A good alternative is to install low flow faucets and shower heads throughout your home to conserve hot water use.

Frozen Pipes

Avoid the shock of a bursting pipe, resulting in a flood of water inside your house, or the failure of equipment and dealing with flood water on the outside. Insulate indoor pipes in colder areas of your home like the basement or garage to prevent pipe freezing and to stop heat loss. Drain your outdoor sprinkler systems and waterlines and if you can remove outdoor faucets or tape them off to prevent accidentally turning them on during the fall or winter when things could be frozen. When the temperature is low keep bathroom doors open to encourage circulation but keep garage doors closed to help retain heat. When it’s extremely cold turning down the thermostat to conserve energy may result in a burst pipe when temperatures dip to extreme lows. It is best to keep your house at a minimum of 21° or above. If you turn on the faucet and the water pressure is low turn it off immediately and check for frozen pipes. If you think you have a frozen pipe, call the plumber and don’t turn on your water again until they say it’s OK. Ensure that your sump pump is in working order to help protect your basement against winter storm floods consider installing a back up power system to run it if the power goes out.

Landscaping

Your bare trees may seem anything but intimidating now, but take a careful look at how close they are to your roof utilities, fence and even power lines. If we encounter strong winds, freezing rains or heavy snow it could bend or even break branches or trees which may impede power lines or cause damage to your house and can also be a fire risk. Trim them back now or hire a professional to create a safer distance to prevent hazards. 

Insulation And Ventilation

Checking thoroughly through your attic, roof and crawlspace to ensure vents are not blocked and that they are insulated evenly. Upgrade your insulation if necessary to keep warm air in and cold air out which will also help your house stay cooler in the summer. Check that your roof and attic have enough vents and that they’re clear of obstruction. Proper airflow will help dangerous ice build up from forming on your roof. Check your crawlspace and move items away from the walls, just in case the leak develops as a result of a winter storm or a burst of a pipe. Reverse ceiling fans rotate at a low speed in the clock clockwise direction in order to push warm air down and draw cooler air up.

Fireplaces, Chimney's and Smoke Detectors

Before using your fireplace on the first frosty day of the year get ahead of everyone else and have yours inspected and cleaned regularly whether it’s wood-burning or gas. Wood-burning fireplaces in chimneys can have creosote buildup which is a significant fire risk. The gas lines involve also need inspections to check for leaks and proper ignition. Be sure to close the damper on your chimney when not in use so that cooler air isn’t drawn into the house. Make a habit of checking your smoke, fire and carbon monoxide detectors twice a year and installing new batteries if needed as well as testing the alarms.

Windows And Condensation

Condensation on cold windows is a normal process. Warm air carries more moisture and must give it up when it meets that colder window surface. However heavy condensation will pool water threatening water damage and mold growth. Having a humidifier in the winter will help keep your thermostat down but in extreme temperatures it can increase condensation. Its often important to turn your humidifier right down during extreme dips to improve circulation to keep your windows clear. Position your blinds at a slant and open drapes to encourage proper ventilation. Make sure vents under windows are open and are unblocked to help keep proper circulation flowing for all your windows. Consider adding moisture absorbing products if needed. 

What About Your Garage

Every person uses their garage space in their own unique way. Consider insulating your garage walls to reduce heat loss. Check your garage door opening equipment for signs of failure and frozen weather wear. Keep doors closed as much as possible to prevent transfer of warm air from escaping from your house or having colder air coming into your house. Clear the snow in front of your garage to prevent condensation damage from forming or it seeping into your house.

Survival Kit Ideas

Being prepared is the key to life so here’s a list of things to get ready in case of an outage or if a quick escape is needed. Putting together a survival kit can be extremely helpful as you never know when the power may go out and for how long. If your furnace or water ceases you may need to buy some time or help others so make sure you include water bottles, candles, matches, blankets, flashlights, radios, batteries, food, snacks, first aid kit, and toiletry such as hand sanitizer and toilet paper. Also include items such as diapers and formula, or pet food. Don’t forget to check expiry dates also. Plan an escape route and what to do if an emergency happens and you need to leave immediately. Make sure to rehearse with little ones in a relaxed manner so that they’ll be less nervous if the time comes where its no longer a drill. Have all your important items in one place in case your required to grab them quickly. Things such as wills, financial papers, photos, extra keys, things that will be detrimental to your belongings and personal function in the future. Don’t forget about your pets and their needs. Checking up on these things now will save you money and stress down the road. Blocking off a few hours to check up on these items and systems can help you spot issues and fix them before they get worse or result in sudden damage when you least expect it. You also use this time to improve the energy sufficiency of your home to potentially lower your monthly utility bills. Keep your largest investment healthy, and functional all while preparing for the different circumstances that may take place and be ready and prepared for anything. That's true peace of mind.