Winter home maintenance is extremely important in places like Utah where we see a lot of snow and other winter related weather. Even now that winter is in full swing, it’s still a good idea to keep up on your home maintenance. Many homeowners focus on the obvious stuff, such as weather-stripping, but there are a few more significant things you should keep in mind during the wintertime.
Below are 5 tasks that are essential to implement during the winter months, but that many homeowners simply forget to do:
It’s never too late to inspect your roof! The best way to prevent emergency issues such as major leaks or expensive roofing repairs is by being proactive in locating any small issues before they become larger problems.
Keep an eye out for damaged mortar around your home’s chimney, gaps in between flashing where the roof and siding connect, as well as loose or damaged shingles. If you spot any of these issues, call a repair person immediately to fix the damage. Even seemingly small issues on a roof can turn into major problems after a big snowfall.
Just like your roof, you’ll want to thoroughly inspect your home’s exterior walls for any damage and have any issues repaired ASAP. You will want to specifically look around windows, and if you have wood siding, make sure you inspect it thoroughly for any cracks, splits, or decay. Having weak exterior walls during wintertime is a recipe for disaster, but major damage can be prevented if you keep those walls well maintained.
Right beneath those exterior walls is insulation, and you’ll want to make sure that’s in good shape as well. Properly insulated walls and attic spaces will increase the energy efficiency of your home’s heating system by keeping the warm air in and the cold air out. Furthermore, insulation will also add an extra layer of protection for your roof against inclement weather.
Insulation helps your attic maintain a temperature approximately 10 degrees warmer than the rest of your home. A higher temperature in your attic area helps prevent any standing water on your roof (from melted snow or other precipitation) from re-freezing, which could cause your roof to cave in. Prevent any unwanted damage from occurring by properly insulating your home, and pay particularly close attention to your attic.
Insulation isn’t just for walls and attics; you should also insulate your pipes using heating tape. As you are preparing to wrap your pipes with insulation, check your pipes for leaks, and if you spot any, make sure to have them repaired immediately.
This is such a crucial part of winter maintenance but it’s often overlooked beyond turning the heating unit on. When you have your system serviced, an HVAC professional will inspect the unit for any problems—both minor and major—so you can rest assured that your system can keep up with the cold weather. We recommend having your HVAC system checked out at least annually, but ideally twice a year.
If you haven’t had your system serviced for a while, now is a great time! We make it simple to keep up with maintenance by offering scheduled maintenance plans. Give us a call at (801) 298-4822 to learn more.
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