Harsh winter weather conditions can play havoc for homes of all sizes and styles, so it’s vital that you can take the opportunity to protect your property against the rainstorms, snow, ice and low temperatures that can potentially cause real damage.
Fortunately it doesn’t have to be as difficult as you might initially imagine to winter-proof your home, as this guide contains some of the most simple steps that you can follow to ensure your property can stand strong no matter what the weather may be. So, if you’re interested in finding out more, then read on to discover some of the best tips and ideas that you can utilize today to ensure your home can thrive throughout winter!
Maintain Your Gutters & Roofing
One of the most vital steps that you need to follow to winter-proof your home to the highest degree involves maintaining your gutters and roofing, as the treacherous rainstorms and harsh hail showers can be a real nightmare when your gutters and roof aren’t in the best shape.
Failing to fix something as simple as a cracked tile or a drooping gutter could actually lead to a serious problem inside your home during the winter, as a small leak can easily turn into a dramatic flood that leaves your personal belongings damaged while weakening the structure of your home.
Hopefully, it should never reach this point if you take the time to maintain your gutters and roofing, but you can always call a company like 1-800 Water Damage to help bring your property back to life if the worst were to happen. However, if you maintain your gutters and roofing year in year out, ensuring they remain in the best possible condition before the worst of the winter weather sets in, then you’ll be safe and dry.
Service Your Boiler
Being left without access to hot water or heating in depths of winter is a situation that you most certainly want to avoid, so it’s vital that you can take the opportunity to service your boiler when the temperatures drop so that you can make sure it’s in great working order.
It’s such an easy job to call up a trusty boiler technician and have them come out to perform a few tests, and they’ll likely be able to fix any potential issues there and then if they do end up finding something wrong with your boiler. Having the all clear can help to provide you with peace of mind, as you’ll be able to sleep easy knowing your family are warm and comfortable despite the blisteringly cold conditions that lurk beyond your front door!
Add Extra Insulation
Another excellently effective idea that you can utilize to winter-proof your property is to add extra insulation, as the more insulation your home has, the better it will be able to retain heat (while also blocking out the super cold temperatures outside). Most homes are built with insulation already, but this can deteriorate over time and it’s common that you might need to either replace or add to your insulation.
Lacking sufficient insulation will have a noticeable impact on the way your home feels, as you might even be able to see your breath in front of your face if the temperatures start to fall below zero outdoors – the only solution, in this case, would be to switch your heating on full blast, but this would be extremely expensive and realistically the heat is still going to escape through your walls and windows.
Adding extra insulation will allow you the privilege of having to use your heating for no more than a couple of hours, as the heat will remain inside your property keeping it as toasty and welcoming as can be! Insulation is most important inside walls that have one side facing the outdoors, as well as inside your roof, too.
Stock Up On Supplies
Last but by no means least, if you want to make sure that you and your family will be able to glide through the winter months in the comfort of your home without having to constantly venture outdoors in the ice and snow, then it’s recommended that you can stock up on supplies beforehand! There are so many items that you can stock up on, so it’s best to try and work room by room to ensure you have everything covered.
Think about items you always use in the bathroom, such as body wash, shampoo, toothpaste, and cleaners like bleach or shower spray. It’s fair to say that there are a number of items in the bathroom that you use on a daily basis and would not enjoy to be without, so make a list and buy at least 2-3 of each product to ensure you have enough to last you a few weeks or months.
The kitchen is the next room you should focus on, as there are so many cupboard staples that you can purchase that have a long shelf life to see you through winter. Any kind of canned food will be ideal, so stock up on tinned tomatoes, beans and vegetables. Dried foods are also perfect staples to fill your kitchen with before winter sets in as they last for months or even years, so buy some pasta, rice, and other similar items that you can use for a variety of meals.
You may also like to stock up on some frozen food too, as you can buy fresh frozen fruit and vegetables as well as convenience foods that you can just pop in the oven such as chicken nuggets and pizzas. The more food that you have easily accessible at home, the less you’ll have to head out to the grocery store when the conditions are unsafe!
Winter-proofing your home effectively has never been such a simple task when you can take the time to utilize some of the brilliant ideas and recommendations that have been carefully explained in this informative guide!
