This winter is predicted to be cold and snowy. While you are stocking up on hot chocolate and snowman making supplies, follow these tips to ensure that your home is ready for winter.
- Clean out your gutters. When the leaves are falling in them they create little dams so the melting snow and ice cannot drain properly causing your siding to get damaged in a hurry.
- Make sure there are no tree branches leaning up against your house’s stucco. When the heavy wet snow falls, the branches can’t always hold the weight and will break causing your snowy evening to be one heck of a messy night.
- Check your stucco and bricks for cracks and chipping. When water freezes it expands so when water gets into the cracks and freezes it will cause them to grow. This issue has been known to cause some serious damage.
- Check your smoke detectors. With heaters going constantly and fires to warm you up, you don’t want to take any chances.
- Make sure to turn off all exterior water sources and drain your hoses. It is a good practice to store your hoses in your garage or basement so they don't freeze and crack.
- Make sure your snow blower is working properly or you have good quality shovels ready to go. It also helps to have salt or sand for icy sidewalks.
- Have a plan for snow days if school gets canceled and work doesn’t.
- Make sure you have flashlights in case the snow brings down power lines.
- When hanging Christmas lights, make sure the electrical outlets can handle the extra energy load. Don’t plug all of your lights into 1 outlet either, it is best to spread them out to several energy sources.
Spring is supposed to be filled with new growth, don’t let it get filled with home repairs from winter damages.
