Winter is the best time to snuggle up near a fire, watch some movies, and spend time with loved ones. For some, states only receive an inch of snow. For others, states see a winter wonderland with roads covered in white. Winter can also be a hassle when preparing your home for the worst-case scenario: a winter lockdown.
To get yourself ready, here are some tips for your home in winter. Homes are a direct hit for a lot of snowstorms. In fact, whole-home remedies take up to 1 year to finish or longer. Use these to prepare before a snowstorm comes your way. These tips can save you some headaches and finances in the long run.
Have blankets and towels
This may sound silly, but having blankets and towels are for you and your home. Having these items can keep you cozy in case you:
- Are without a fireplace
- Have no heat
- Have a clogged chimney
- Lose or have no power
- Visiting a place where it is unusually cold
No matter the situation, keeping yourself warm can help you maintain some sanity in the case that you are trapped inside a snowstorm.
The towels come in handy for doors and windows. For instance, snow often melts. In the states where there is an abundance of snow, people may line their doors with towels on the bottom openings. They place these behind the front and back doors. Sometimes, the door may not be sealed properly underneath causing water to come in from the melted snow. Towels can help soak up some of that moisture that comes in.
Think about your roofing
Roof tops are often made of a variety of materials. For some, they decide to invest in roofing contractors to build a metal roof. Metal roofs have a variety of advantages and disadvantages. This may also depend on where you live in terms of weather.
The type of roof you have can lead you to:
- Spend more money on roofing repair
- Get more noticeable hail damage
- Be torn apart from weather storms
Snow can add a lot of weight to your roof depending on the amount that comes down from the sky. If you live in a state where there are endless days of snow, check on what your roof is made of. Call up a contractor with good reviews, and see if you need to do anything additional to protect your home from snowstorms.
Doing this months before inclement weather arrives can save you time, money, and headaches.
Get insurance
No matter the state, storms have done a variety of damage across the country this year. Some homes are completely demolished while others may need one or two fixtures. Having home insurance can help combat this.
When it comes to individuals giving tips for your home in winter, insurance is often overlooked. Insurance can protect you. Let us say a snowstorm comes through and causes damage to your windows, roof, or foundation.
You will want to have insurance to combat the costs it takes to fix such damages. There are a variety of home insurances out there. You can find the right type of insurance for your home by:
- Emailing for more information
- Looking into reviews
- Speaking with a representative from the company
- Searching their website for testimonials
- Comparing prices between different insurance types within one or multiple companies
No matter the insurance you get, ensure that it protects your home from the worst weather damage, even if your state or city has not had a bad storm in years. One can never be too prepared for the worst-case scenario. Having insurance can help you be ready for the action to take after a storm leaves your state or city.
With insurance, be sure to take pictures of any damage right after the damage has occurred. Keeping this for your files can also be helpful when filing insurance claims in the future.
Test your heater
During the summer months, it can be hard to tell if our heater is working due to the minimal to almost no use of it. Test it out for five minutes or so. Often times, if a heater is not turned on often, an odor may develop. If the odor lingers, look in heating services near you as this could be an indication of a problem needing to be solved as soon as possible.
When you are looking into such services, see which offers HVAC as you will want them all. Some states get all seasons and need air conditioning and heat. See which company has the best services. Also, research which one sends out individuals to fix any problems that may arise and how fast they resolve these little problems.
It is never too bad to compare companies, so add this to your tips for your home in winter preparation. If you already have air conditioning and a heater installed, consider one thing after this. Consider having them inspected or investing in a solar heating system. There are many benefits to either. You want to make sure that the air conditioner and heater are working properly. Having a professional come out and check on this can help you before winter arrives. Be prepared by planning and acting before the arrival of winter.
Pool covering
During the winter, some individuals keep their pool filled with water. If this is you, then you may want to invest in a pool cover which will protect your pool from accumulating snow that could damage the interior of the above ground pool you have.
Clean your pool before you gut out the water if you decide to drain the water out. Having a clean pool can help you save time on cleaning it once the snow subsides as it eventually melts into the pool.
Keep your car warm
You want to be warm during the winter months, and so does your car. Too often, cars lose tire pressure when the weather changes. This requires you to go get more air in your tires.
Cars need tending to just as pets or children do. Check to see if your car has a good amount of oil in before winter arrives. This can save you from stalling on the side of the road.
Another tip when it comes to cars is to store them in the garage. If your garage does not have a door on it, think about investing in one. Garage doors are one way to keep your car safe when you cannot keep an eye on it outside your window. Keeping your car in the garage is also a great way to keep it a bit warmer and save yourself some of the damage from the snow.
Not only does it benefit the engine, but it also saves you from shoveling snow off of it. We all know how long that can take and how hectic it can be to be out in the cold shoveling off ice and snow from your car.
This is one of many tips for your home in winter to put a star by. You can invest in a manual garage door or an automatic garage door, whichever you prefer.
Check your water pressure and pipes
During the winter, the cold weather puts pressure on your pipes. This can limit the water that releases from your bathroom and kitchen faucets.
Before winter comes, take a second to notice how the water is running from your faucets. If the pressure is less than normal, think about contacting individuals who offer water well services. These services help you get water during these months of cold weather. Also, place a star by this as it is one of several tips for your home in winter that could be more beneficial checking on prior to winter arriving.
Pet check
We always have to let our pets outside to use the bathroom. If they are not trained to use the bathroom in a designated area inside, they result in using it outside, even in the cold weather. During winter, think about investing in a little box of stuff for your pet.
For example, you can gather:
- Towels from outside moisture
- Flashlights
- Pet booties for their paws
- Winter clothes for their bodies
- A mat for them to dry off on when coming inside
Having a designated area for such items can make this a more easy time for you and your loveable pets.
Have candles
This one may be a little unique in terms of tips for your home in winter, but it is an important one. Let us say there is a power outage and your flashlight or phone battery is about to go out of power as well. Candles are a good trick to have up your sleeve during this time. Candles provide light and warmth. If the power shuts off, your heat is impacted as well.
There are also battery-operated candles if you want to invest in these for children’s safety. If you want warmth with candles, get the real ones, and invest in a couple depending on the size of your home and family.
This is where having extra blankets and coats can come in handy. You will want to keep your toes warm. Toes can get frostbite if not taken care of appropriately during the winter months. Invest in a few extra:
- Earmuffs
- Mittens
- Coats
- Hats or beanies
- Hand warmers
- Compression socks
- Sweatpants
This list is not exhaustive, but having a designated area in the closet for these extra items could come in handy if a lockdown were to occur with extra guests in your home.
Check window sealants
Sometimes, we forget to look for the little details around our homes. Windows can have cracks in them that we may not see with a naked eye. Checking on your sealants is one of the many great tips for your home in winter.
Ensuring that your windows are closed and sealed properly can save any damage from snowstorms in the future. Check your windows and additional door or entryways. Make sure that they are sealed properly.
If you notice a crack or two, this can be a quick fix if you know how to fix it. However, there is no harm in seeking advice from a professional. This will save you time and any further mistakes if you are attempting at doing this yourself.
You will also want to check the windows on your car. See if they can be rolled down and up effectively. If not, think about contacting someone who can work on this or take it to get detailed. The importance of windows in a car could impact you if you were to be stranded somewhere in the middle of a snowstorm. The last thing you would want is to be stranded with a window that is stuck wide open.
Invest in your home now
Some of these tips for your home in winter may require you to spend some money, but that is okay. If you are going to sell your house at some point, the things you fix can be added to the value of your house. This, in turn, adds to your sale price.
Maybe you are not hoping to ever sell your house, and that is okay too. You want to be in a place where you feel secure, especially if a lockdown were to occur because of a snowstorm or dangerous road conditions limiting travel.
Investing in your home now can save you from putting more money into it in the future. If you discover some things that need to be fixed along the way, invest in your house. It could be where you end up during inclement weather.
Bonus Tip: Have food in the house
For tips for your home in winter, this is one many overlook. Some of us may not stock up on food, nor, see a reason to do so. If you reside in a city or state that receives an enormous amount of snow or bad weather, be sure to stock up on some canned goods for you. Snow can block your doors to where you are stuck. Getting food delivered may be out of the question if this arises. Having canned food and bottled water or other drinks can keep you warm, safe, and cozy while you power through the lockdown. Some tips for your home in winter focus on only your home, but this tip focuses on you too.
