It’s Snowing! 7 Ways to Take Care of Your Home in the Cold Weather

Snow can have a calming, peaceful effect on the neighborhood. It mutes sound and covers everything in a fresh, white blanket. Snow can also be the start of utter chaos, especially when it comes to preserving the structural integrity and value of your home. Fortunately, there are seven, simple strategies that you can use to keep your home in top condition during the cold weather season.

1. Have Excess Snow Removed From The Roof

Each roof is different given that some roofs are capable of bearing a much heavier load than others. As a general rule of thumb, however, you should hire a snow removal service once you have a foot or more of heavy ice and snow on your roof. You may be able to do this yourself by using a roof rake on sloped roofs and a shovel for a flat roof.

2. Eliminate Any Ice Dams

If there are any ice dams on your roof, these will prevent the snow melt from entering the drainage system. You can cut through an ice dam so that standing water can drain or you can place sodium chloride in a nylon stocking and then place this vertically across the dam to facilitate melting. Adding extra insulation in the attic before winter hits will keep ice dams at bay.

3. Routinely Check For Moisture Damage

If any ice dams exist, you want to be diligent in your efforts to identify and address indoor moisture damage as soon as possible. Check the attic and exterior walls to see if there are moisture or water stains daily and until the ice dam is resolved.

4. Get the Right Equipment

Consider getting your own snow plow and snow blowers for clearing front, side and rear walkways. This will make you far less reliant on any municipal services that are dispatched and it will also allow you to treat areas that these services don’t extend to. Companies like Hitch City offer an impressive and affordable array of snow removal tools.

5. Get Your Trees Trimmed

Before the first real snow load hits, have the trees around your property trimmed. This will minimize the likelihood of falling branches due to accumulated ice and snow.

6. Wrap Your Water Pipes

If you have any exposed water pipes in unheated areas of the home, wrap these in UL-listed heat tape to prevent freezing. If these pipes are plastic, make sure to use heat tape that is thermostatically controlled. You can also insulate water pipes in unheated areas as an additional measure against freezing.

7. Have Your Heater Or Boiler Serviced

Take good care of your home heating equipment in advance of the cold weather season. Do not wait until you need this system to change filters and check the overall functionality. Scheduling maintenance twice yearly will extend the lifetime of this equipment and ensure that you always have a way to maintain acceptable temperatures indoors.

With good preparation, you can enjoy the peace and tranquility that a thick blanket of snow provides. Having access to your own snow removal equipment will make it easy for you to get into and out of your property. Moreover, your maintenance efforts will be significantly minimized when the right tools are on hand.