Winter is knocking on our door and we are here to help you make sure your home is ready for it with George’s top 5 tips for winterizing your home!
Secure Windows and Doors
Exterior caulking is one of the most commonly neglected home maintenance projects. Unfortunately, neglecting this can cause serious damage to the siding, sub sheeting, and structural integrity of your home. Even a small hole can allow water to get behind the caulking and cause damage. A couple of hours of work can save you thousands of dollars in the long run. That is why we recommend checking and re-caulking every year!
Check Exterior Trim
Pay close attention to the exterior wood trim on your house. Lack of flashing, caulking, or paint, as well as excessive weather exposure, can be an invitation for water intrusion, insect invasion, and woodpeckers. Be sure to address these issues to make sure you avoid these problems!
Clean Your Gutters
Leaves, needles and moss will build up in the gutters creating damns at the downspouts causing the water to overflow the gutters. This can cause damage to the facia boards, rafter tails (what the gutters are nailed to), and roof sheeting.
Inspect the Exterior of the Home
Have plants grown up against the house? Have trees grown over the roof creating damage to the roofing? Paint chipping? Holes in the brick, mortar missing, gaps between the siding and the brick? Be sure to address these issues!
Check for Water Intrusion
Does water drain away from your house? Is the mulch too close to the siding? Do the downspouts drain away from the house? Is there water in the crawlspace?
If you are careful about these 5 things, your home will be safer this winter!
