Winter is quickly approaching and it is so important to be able to prepare your home for the weather that comes with it. Snow, and sometimes sleet and ice, are all part of an Idaho winter – not to mention the freezing temperatures that come with them. Preparing for these conditions can prevent damage to your home and protect your family from unnecessary injuries. Winterizing your home may not seem like an easy task, but luckily there are all sorts of things you can do to ensure that your home is adequately prepared for the season.
Tip #1: Insulate Your Pipes
One of our tips for winterizing your home is to be sure to insulate your pipes. If your pipes freeze in the winter, then they could be at risk of bursting which could cause flooding in your home. Gardner Homes builds every home with high-quality insulation that is made specifically to help prevent pipes from freezing as well as keep the heat in and the cold out. Inspect seals around doors and windows to prevent cold air from leaking into your home. Lastly, during especially low temperatures, adjust faucets to a slow drip. This allows water to move through the pipes which can keep the water from freezing within the pipes.
Tip #2: Get the Furnace Checked Out
Another important task before winter time is upon you is to get your furnace or heating system checked out. Gardner Homes installs furnaces that meet Energy Star certification. Check your furnace filter routinely, clean vents, and set thermostat schedule. Setting a temperature schedule will allow the furnace to maintain a comfortable temperature rather than over-work to keep up with constant manual adjustment.
Regular service maintenance on your furnace will save you from paying premium rates for an emergency service call on a weekend or during peak season. Almost as important as the savings to your wallet – it will save you from an unexpectedly freezing cold shower!
Tip #3: Check Your Foundation and Roof
The third tip for winterizing your home is to be sure to check out your home’s foundation and roof. If there are any cracks in your foundation or in the walls or roof, it is important to get them filled or fixed. If water was to get into those cracks, it could freeze in the winter and cause the cracks to expand and become even more damaged.
It would also be a good idea to replace any shingles in your roof. Cracks or missing shingles in your roof could cause leaks into your house which could cause severe water damage. It is also important to get your roof inspected before winter in case there is a weak spot in the roof. If you live in an area that gets a lot of snow, a weak spot in the roof could cause sagging which can be dangerous and difficult to repair.
Tip #4: Protect Your Driveway
Your driveway and sidewalks are potentially the most dangerous part of your property for you and your family in the winter. Ice on your driveway can be hazardous because it could cause a person to slip and get hurt. Use salt for traction and shovel the snow on your driveway and sidewalks to avoid any slip and fall accidents.
Water getting into cracks in your driveway can also have a similar effect to water getting into cracks in your roof or foundation. The cracks could become bigger, causing an unappealing and uneven surface to drive and walk on. So before winter arrives, be sure to seal any cracks in your driveway.
Looking For A New Home?
The entire build team at Gardner Homes loves the changing seasons of Idaho! We have built many beautiful homes and communities and are sure that if you are new to Idaho or call yourself a native you’ll love it as much as we do. For more information or to learn more about our homes or how to winterize your current home, contact us today.