3 Essential Jobs That Should Be Completed Before Winter Strikes
Once again it’s coming to that time of year that the majority of us hate. When we have to wrap up in as much clothes as possible or we end up so cold we sink into a mild depression until spring comes around. Once the weather starts to change it’s not only the amount of clothing we wear that needs to be looked at. It’s also things around the house that if left to their own devices could cause us trouble or a lot of money. Just so you don’t draw the short straw this winter, check out the list below and see if there’s anything you need to get ready before the bad weather sweeps in and it’s too late.
Have your gutters cleaned
Autumn is a lovely time of year. When the trees shed their leaves it definitely gives the place a nice rustic look. You get to dig out your favorite boots from the bottom of your wardrobe and start wearing them again without your feet catching fire. But those leaves don’t just land on the ground and look pretty. The wind will sweep them up and they will land in the guttering around your home.
Then when the rain comes they will fill up with water and the leaves will stop it from getting away. That doesn’t sound too bad in itself, but when the freezing cold arrives it can cause a lot of problems. Your gutters could freeze up and snap causing you thousands of dollars in damages that could be prevented with a quick clean.
Fix your paved areas around the home
You will have paths and steps around your home that might not cause too much hassle in the warmer weather, even if they are chipped or uneven, but when winter arrives they become more of a hazard. Once snow starts to lie you are in danger of tripping over and causing yourself serious damage. Having them fixed before the snow arrives won’t break the bank, but could stop other things from being broken.
It’s your home, you know where the danger lies. Why would you possibly want to spend money on something like that? It’s true that you might not be the one to get hurt, but it’s not a great way to look at it. Just because you know where all the uneven surfaces are doesn’t mean the people who come to your door will. You definitely don’t want strangers breaking any bones when they come to post something through your door.
Water is intelligent
Water is a lot smarter than anyone gives it credit for. If it can’t find a way into your home in summer it will definitely find a way in when winter arrives. The roof is a prefect example which is why it needs to be fixed, or at least checked for damage every year. When you get light showers in the warm weather there’s a good chance no water will get inside, or at least not enough of it for you to notice any difference. It goes completely unnoticed.
When the winter comes it all changes. There will be ice forms on the roof, snow will lie, and the amount of rain will be a lot higher than in summer. When you take all of those things into consideration, if you have any damage on your roof the water will find it and come in. This can cause a lot of hassle because when it starts coming in it’s almost impossible to fix until the rain stops, but the damage it can do can really hurt you financially. It’s not so good with Christmas coming up. All you need to do is get someone to check it over.
Derrick Lisbon is web content writer for companies like snowplowstuff.com, he is also an avid home improvement blogger.