If you live in New England you find some folks love the season that starts with a giant W and others wish it could the season we all could skip over. Winter comes in some years in October and other years it rolls into New England as soon as the new year. Who knows what 2016 has in store for us, but like any season there are things you should do to your home to prepare for winter. If you need a reason to get outside here are a few items that should be on your winter checklist, and your home will thank you years to come if you do these things
1) Clean the Gutters out. Grab a ladder, a bucket, and some work gloves to clear debris from the gutters. Leaves and small tree branches can clog them, and with some added rain or snow, things can get ugly.
this excess weight will pull your gutters off the side of your home and potentially cause leaks.
2) Check the Chimney if you have one if you’re living in a condo this might not apply. Check to make sure water is not trickling down your chimney. A properly flashed chimney should have a six-foot-long ice and water shield layer around all sides, custom-fitted flashing sealed to the roof with caulk, and custom-fitted flashing in the attic. While you’re up on the roof tending to the chimney, do a quick visual sweep of it shingles to look for cracking and mold.
3) Stop ice dams in their tracks by taking a trip to the attic. Again if you’re living in a condo this might not apply or it could apply but not your responsibility to oversee and might be your management company responsibility.
Ice dams are huge walls of icicles that prevent water from running off of your roof. They’re a pain, but can be prevented with proper ventilation, adequate insulation, and an ice and water shield for the roof. To detect early warning signs for ice dams, head to the attic. Make sure it’s the same temperature as outside (to ensure the ventilation is working) and keep an eye out for condensation. Getting rid of moisture buildup will ensure melted snow running down your roof won’t refreeze at the edges, forming ice dams.
4) Seal spots where drafts can leak in. First, bathroom exhaust fans are often culprits of letting in cold air, as well as recessed lighting receptacles. There’s also the potential for drafts under a first-floor bathtub. When your plumber cuts into your subfloor to make room for your drain assembly at the bottom of your bathtub, they need to make a larger hole that gives them some extra room when connecting
5) Consider insulating your windows and doors. drafty windows and doors are responsible for up to 40 percent of a house’s heat loss. Window and door insulation vary depending on the home, but she suggests using minimally expanding foam in cracks smaller than one inch wide and fiberglass for spaces larger than one inch wide.
It’s also important not to use too much insulation, While you want to fill any open spaces in and around your windows with proper insulation, you don’t want to pack these spaces tight. All houses and products expand and contract, so you need to allow for this natural movement.
These are just a few things a homeowner should do in preparation for winter. Have questions about this entry drop me a line. If you need an expert to help you get the work done around your home before winter hits contact me.
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