Before the winter weather really sets in, you should take some basic steps to prepare your home for all possibilities. Even if you aren’t that fastidious about landscaping and improvement projects, it’s essential that you protect your home from cold temperatures and the ravages that snow, ice, rain, and wind can bring. Take a look at a few of our tips to help you get started.
Inspect Your Roof and Gutters
Being prepared starts from the outside, and no part of your home takes more punishment than your roof. Surprisingly, the summer can be even harsher on your roof than in the winter. So, before the snow starts to accumulate and the leaves start to blow, take a peek upstairs and see if anything looks out of place. The typical useful life of an asphalt roof is 20 years -at Craftmark we use 30-Year Architectural Grade Roof Shingles- so bear that in mind while you inspect.
Clean gutters are essential for channeling stormwater away from your home and into the ground. Ensure that your gutters are clear of leaves and debris, and always take precautions if you’re using a ladder yourself. If you’re unsure of your ability to climb a ladder and get on your roof, call a professional.
Turn Off Your Outside Water
To best prepare your home for winter, do a quick walk around the house. Pay close to leaks and drips from outdoor faucets, and disconnect any hoses you may have hooked up. You’ll want to go inside and locate your outdoor water shut-off valve, usually found on the ceiling, and turn it off before freezing weather. This will help keep your pipes safe and avoid any troublesome leaks.
Pamper Your Lawn Before Winter
Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean your lawn ceases to exist. If you want a robust and green lawn to emerge in the spring, conditioning it before winter sets in will pay big dividends. For optimal health, maintain your lawn at a height of 2.5-3.0 inches. And use the rule of thumb of 1.0 inch of water per week for watering your grass to yield optimal results in most climates.
Additionally, the fall and early winter are ideal for aerating your soil to ensure that moisture reaches deep into the roots. And, introducing weed control is more effective against perennial weeds like dandelions and thistles than spraying them in the summer. Try to perform these tasks this season to make your job easier (and your yard prettier) next summer.
One more thing: A key task to prepare your home for winter is laying mulch. Mulch not only provides a decorative touch to your landscaping, but it also helps with weeds and erosion as well as temperature control. Since mulch is prone to shifting or blowing away, be sure to add to your mulch as necessary.
Keep Your Eye on Energy
The simplest way to keep your heating bills down is to seal drafty points of entry at your windows and doors, which may have been open a lot during the summer months. Simple weather-stripping can be quite effective at conserving heat in the winter. Also, reversing the blades on your ceiling fans can create a downdraft that helps rising heat from dissipating too quickly.
Hot water can be an expense on a homeowner’s energy bills – though, at Craftmark, we try to mitigate that by using high-efficiency appliances. To prepare your home for winter, you may have turned your hot water heater to its maximum temperature. However, lowering it can save quite a bit and still provide ample hot water. Find your balance.
Craftmark Homes strives to help homeowners live in stylish comfort, even in the coldest of winters and hottest of summers. We build architecturally distinctive homes throughout the Washington, D.C. metro area and invite you to explore our exciting communities and move-in ready homes for winter living at its finest. Contact us today to get started.