IP Insight: Getting Your Home Ready for Winter
Posted by [email protected] on Dec. 8, 2022 / Subscribe 0
Getting Your Home Ready For Winter
It’s easy to forget to clean your gutters - out of sight out of mind. However, neglecting your gutters can cause costly issues.
Clogged gutters will cause water to overshoot, which will then fall at the base of your home. How bad could that really be?
- Landscape Erosion
- Flooding
- Foundation Issues
- Roof Leaks
- Mold Growth
Increased weight of your gutters can cause them to pull loose, which can lead to rot behind the fascia. Also these issues are very serious, they are all easily avoidable. How do you know if it is time to clean your gutters?
- Check your downspouts. If you don’t see any water draining out of downspouts, this can indicate a blockage.
- Rain overflow. Water should flow from your roof, over your gutters and down the down downspout. If water is pouring over the top of the gutter, there may be a blockage!
So, what is the best way to maintain your gutters? A simple practice involving a ladder, hose and a garden trowel is all it takes! Scoop and dispose of and debris, then rinse the gutters and downspouts.
Pro tip: avoid cleaning gutters after significant rainfall. Debris is much harder to remove when wet!
A thorough cleaning in the spring and again in the fall is usually enough for most homes, unless you live near a lot of trees.
How to clean your gutters
- Make sure your ladder is place firmly on level ground - safety first!
- Bring your scooping tool and bucket (for easy cleanup) to the gutter and begin removing larger pieces of debris, such as branches, by hand.
- Use your tool to scoop leaves and other debris out of the gutter and into the bucket (if using). Continue this process all along your home’s gutter.
- Once you have removed as much of the debris as you are able, use a garden hose to flush the gutter clean. Be sure to use a spray nozzle on your hose to get maximum water pressure to ensure a clean gutter - power washing can be a great option if you have one!
- Be sure to spray the water towards the downspouts when flushing. This also is a great way to check for leaks!
Get Your Roof Inspected
We get it, it is easy to put off having your roof inspected, but it is a critical thing to do for your home’s maintenance.
Although no one wants to think of summer ending, it is quickly turning to early fall here in Minnesota, and you don’t want to wait until cold weather to have your roof inspected.
Roof Inspections Are Important
As long as water isn’t dripping from your ceiling, it’s easy to simply assume everything is fine.
Preventative roof maintenance is the best way to catch problems early, before they turn into an expensive mess. A skilled roof technician can often spot potential leaks and other signs of damage before they happen, saving you a lot of stress (and money) down the road.
Fall Inspections are Highly Recommended
Doing a Google search will tell you that spring and fall are the most popular times to get a roof inspection.
Early fall before the rain kicks in is the perfect time to have your roof inspected. Taking care of problems like loose shingles and leaky areas before winter can prevent more expensive repairs down the road.
Most of the issues your roof has in the winter are due to storm damage from the months before. It can become noticeable because of the heavy snow applying pressure to the roof. Damage also can become worse over time if it is not fixed even if your area does not get much snow. Heavy snow loads and ice buildup can cause significant roof problems.
Fall Roof Repairs Keep in Heat
Most families spend about a third of their yearly heating and cooling budget on air leaking either in or out of their home. The air leaks through cracks or gaps that they don’t know are there. Roof repair stops your family from losing the hot air you’re using to heat your home.
Having your roof inspected before winter can stop you from wasting money on heating a house with ways for the air to escape.
How to Get Your Home Ready for Winter
We may have just settled into fall, but winter weather is not too far off. It is important to plan ahead and start getting your home ready for winter. Take the time to protect your investment. Here are a few items that you can do to get ready for the winter and help keep your home happy:
Tune Up Your Heating System
Most heating and air systems typically last 12 to 15 years. Before the weather turns cold, change your filters at a minimum. We recommend having the system inspected by a trusted HVAC contractor. If you plan to do this regularly, it is cost effective to look into an annual maintenance agreement. It’s much better to find an HVAC problem while the temperature is milk than it is to find your furnace doesn’t work on a cold winter day.
For roughly $80 to $100, a technician will inspect your furnace or heat pump to be sure the system is clean and in good repair, and that it can achieve its manufacturer-rated efficiency. The inspection also measures carbon-monoxide leakage.
Trim The Trees & Clear Gutters
We recommend you check your property for branches growing over the house, garage, or power lines. During a storm, those could come down and cause major damage. Branches rubbing together can or dead tree branches can also put your home at risk and it is preferred those are removed as well.
If your gutters are clogged with leaves, the debris can freeze in water, which could get under shingles and damage the roof. Get a tall ladder and work gloves, and scoop out the debris so water can drain. It can also lead to deterioration of your foundation, water infiltration in the basement and to settling under your concrete porches and walks. Check out our blog on how to clean your gutters.
Check Your Roof
You certainly don’t want to find out you have a leaky roof after the first snow hits. A roof inspection can help you spot any potential issues.Work your way around your house, looking for these defects:
- Cracked caulk or rust spots on flashing.
- Missing or broken shingles
- Cracked and worn rubber boots around vent pipes.
- Masses of moss, which could signal the roof is decaying.
Some roofing fixes are easy to do yourself, such as repairing shingles or calking flashing, if you’re comfortable working on a roof. If you’re not, you’ll want to consult a qualified roofing professional. We offer free roof inspections and estimates to our customers.
Caulk & Seal Exterior Wood
Even though a deck is made of treated or rot-resistant wood, it still needs protection. You don’t need to stain and seal your deck every year but check it to make sure it’s protected. To do this, simply pour some water on it. If the water beads up, then you’re good. If the wood absorbs the water, it’s time to clean and seal your deck.
If the gaps between siding and window or door frames are bigger than the width of a nickel, you need to reapply exterior caulk. Silicone caulk is best for exterior use because it won’t shrink and can withstand the elements. Add weatherstripping as needed around doors, making sure you cannot see any daylight from inside your home.
Drain Your Sprinklers
If you have an outdoor sprinkler system, it's smart to remove any residual water before the first freeze so it doesn't expand and crack the pipes. Most sprinkler systems require the lines to be blown out. Generally the process involves shutting off the water source, then opening the drain valves located at the lowest part of the irrigation system to allow water to drain.
How to Prevent Ice Dams
There are a handful of tasks during the winter months that need to be addressed in order to keep your home or business in good condition, but there is one task that some people may not be aware of: protecting your roof from ice dams.
Ice dams occur when warm air from your living area escapes into your attic. This warm air then heats up your roof, causing any snow that has accumulated on there to begin melting. This melting snow runs down to your roof’s edge, freezing in your gutters to create an ice dam. The remaining melting snow is then trapped and begins to back up underneath the shingles of your roof.
Ice dams are very harmful and can cause severe damage to your roof if they are not prevented. Here are a few tips to prevent ice dams from forming this winter:
Clean Your Gutters
Keeping your gutters clear of debris, like twigs and leaves, is a very simple way to prevent ice dams from forming on your roof in the winter. Make sure there is a place for melting snow to drain from your roof to eliminate the possibility of ice dams from forming.
You can find our guide on how to clean your gutters here.
Ventilate Your Attic
Making sure your attic is well ventilated is crucial when it comes to maintaining your roof during the winter. According to Energy Star, allowing a natural flow of outdoor air to ventilate into your attic will help keep it cold and prevent ice dams from forming. Place baffles at the eaves to maintain a clear path for the airflow from the soffit vents.
Invest in a Snow Rake
Investing in a snow rake is a low cost way to protect your roof and help eliminate the formation of ice dams. Snow rakes are flat-headed with a long handle (some have extensions), and they allow you to remove snow from your roof while being able to stay on the ground. These rakes can range anywhere from $35 to $110, depending on the length and quality of the rake. This is an efficient and safe way to clear accumulating snow that could potentially melt and form an ice dam.
When in Doubt, Call a Professional
Consulting a professional snow removal contractor to assist in the snow removal process is a fantastic way to protect your roof from ice dams. These professionals will inspect your roof to ensure that it is able to handle the winter months, as well as remove any snow or ice dams that have accumulated.
Although this is the most expensive method for maintaining your roof during the winter, it is also one of the best ways to prevent ice dams and snow from causing issues on your roof.
The insight in this article was shared by one of our industry partners, Bold North Roofing and Contracting (www.boldnorthroofing.com).
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