Handyman Pro 101: How to Protect Your Home This Winter
As the leaves begin to turn, Jack Frost is just around the corner, ready to test the fortitude of your home with howling winds, freezing rain, and mounds of snow. With Handyman Pro by your side, you can protect your greatest investment by prepping your home to withstand the test of the winter.
Weatherizing your home for the winter requires you to look both on the outside and the inside of your home. Neglecting one or the other could cause disaster – no one wants to be dealing with a burst pipe or a broken window during the coldest day of the year! A small amount of planning ahead with your local Handyman Pro can ensure that you enjoy the snow and ice of winter, instead of dreading it.
Exterior Preparation
On the exterior of your home, consider the following list to protect your home from the elements:
- Re-paint the trim, deck, shutters, and door before the temperature drops: Re-painting these areas can protect the wood from the elements and prevent rotting. Don’t wait too long because once the nighttime temperatures drop, we won’t be able to paint outside.
- Remove all shutters from the house or securely fasten them: This time-intensive task could save you a major headache later! Whipping winds can rip shutters from their moorings and their banging can cause major structural damage to your home and windows. No one wants to be awoken at 2am during a blizzard on the darkest night of the year due to a banging window.
- Clear & inspect gutters: Clearing and repairing your gutters before the winter is crucial to prevent long-term structural damage. If your gutters are clogged by leaves, they could trap water and, when that water freezes, it could cause your gutters to burst or detach from the house, creating a serious issue that could have been prevented with a little foresight.
- Replace & reinforce window caulking and weatherstripping: While the small details regarding your windows may not cause serious structural damage to your house, it could still seriously COST you! Windows that are improperly weatherized leak heat, causing your house to be inefficient and ultimately cranking up the electricity and heating bill for you during the winter. This small investment could literally pay off big time.
Interior Preparation
And when you move to the inside, don’t forget to cover these important aspects of your home:
- Plumbing inspection: Is there a small but persistent leak in the kitchen cabinet? Something funky happening in the guest bedroom? Now is the time to get them checked out before the stressers of winter – plunging temperatures and extra holiday guests – can cause an emergency plumbing situation.
- Holiday decorating: This is just as important as every other item on this list! Even if you don’t have time, invest in holiday cheer by hiring Handyman Pro to do the tedious (and potentially dangerous!) work of hanging lights and holiday decorations for you.
This winter be prepared by getting a head start in weatherizing your home – start in October! Your local Handyman Pro has the expertise, the flexibility, and the experience to cover all the angles – big and small – when it comes to preparing your home for the harsh winter. Call your local Handyman Pro for your free estimate today!