Winter is coming. Tips for getting your home ready!

Ready or not, here it comes… Good old winter, that is. The coldest part of the year is on its way, and as much time as we spend preparing ourselves with new coats and boots, we should also take some time to prepare our homes. Any home will fall into disrepair without proper care, so it’s important to pay attention to your house’s needs this time of year. Winter is coming, so let’s get ready!

Prepare for power outages 

Summer thunderstorm season may be over, but winters in Nova Scotia can pose just as many threats to our power. If you’re at all familiar with our landscape, you know we’re not strangers to blustery storms and icy temperatures once in a while. Snow and ice storms can be damaging, posing the risk of knocking out power to neighbourhoods. If this happens, it’s best to be prepared to ride it out. Ideally, you have a generator in your home to take over if the power fails. This will allow your electricity, heating, and water to keep running so you’re not freezing, left in total darkness, and unable to obtain drinking water. 

Apart from a generator, don’t be afraid to store some extra blankets in a spare closet. You’d probably prefer not to become an icicle in your own home. If you don’t have a generator, you should also keep some lamps or candles on hand so you can at least see. The joys of Canadian winters may be hard to see in these times, but at least you can prepare for them.

Make sure your furnace is working properly

A furnace is essential during the winter in any Canadian province. Having adequate heating is non-negotiable, so make sure yours is in top condition before the real nasty weather hits. If your furnace quits on you mid-February, you might have a bit of a challenge getting it serviced immediately as professionals will be in high demand during this time of year helping others like you. Instead, get ahead of the curve by inspecting your furnace now. When your heat comes on for the first time, take some time to make sure your home is warming up well. You should also change your air filters to help your furnace live to its full potential. If you want, you can get it professionally serviced to triple check that everything is good to go before winter hits.

Get outdoor equipment ready

Nobody enjoys outdoor yard and home maintenance during the winter, but neglecting it does a ton of damage to your property. Luckily, human history has had some pretty creative inventors determined to get out of using an old-fashioned shovel to clear their driveway. A snowblower is a bigger investment, but if you live in an area with heavy snowfall, it’s well worth the money. Put a bit of oil and gas in, and you’ll be clearing your driveway in 15 minutes. Make sure your snowblower is tuned up and ready to return to work before you try to use it. 

Another risky winter phenomenon are those slick, icy walkways and roads. You’ve probably had (or witnessed) an embarrassing tumble or two over the years. Prevention is key here. Load up on salt to sprinkle whenever necessary. Best to stock up now before demand for it takes off!

Drain outdoor faucets

This is essential if you want to avoid a damaging flood in your home. A frozen pipe full of water is a recipe for disaster. During a Canadian winter, that pipe is bound to burst, spilling all that water with it. Depending on where the pipe is located, you might suddenly have a small pool in your bedroom, kitchen, or basement. Later in the fall, when you’re done watering your yard and plants, disconnect your outdoor garden hose from your water. Then, be sure to drain the extra water to clear out your pipes. If you’re concerned about pipes in colder areas of your home that have the chance to freeze and burst, you can always take the time to keep them heated yourself. For example, a basement cellar is like a walk-in fridge in the winter. Pipe insulation is an easy fix to protect any pipes hiding in there.

Clear your gutters

Finally, please wander outside and inspect your gutters. This is an easily missed task when winter is coming, because no one tends to pay attention to gutters, but they can be quite damaging if neglected. After the fall, you’re likely to find piles of leaves and/or water that must be cleared out. Otherwise, that water and leafy combination will freeze, sagging your gutters with its weight. Gutters can eventually snap right off, giving you one more household task to take care of. Avoid this irritating feeling now by preparing for the effects of the great outdoors.

Winter is coming, and sooner than we think or often would like. Whether you enjoy the cold season or not, it’s important to make sure your home is prepared for it. Taking the time to winter-proof your home and yard now will save you lots of grief come mid-winter and spring. Maybe you will even find a way to take pleasure in the blustery cold and snow!

If you have any questions about your mortgage, get in touch with us at Clinton Wilkins Mortgage Team! You can call us at (902) 482-2770 or contact us here.