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Protect Your Home Against Winter Damage

Protect your home against winter damage

Winter is a beautiful season (well, for most of us), but it’s not without its disadvantages. The cold weather can wreak havoc on a home. The best way to avoid the expense and frustration of home repairs in the winter months is to prepare for them before the snow flies. Here are a few ways to ensure your home is cozy and damage-free during winter’s coldest months.

Roof Maintenance

Nothing takes more of a beating during the winter months than your roof. Your roof needs special attention before and during the winter months because of the season’s high winds and heavy snow and ice. Preparations for the cold and snow should start well before the first flurries. You can prepare in a few ways.

Clean out and repair gutters

Gutters fill with debris, snow and ice. The precipitation can back up in your gutter system causing damage to it and the home. Removing debris from gutters regularly ensures they work properly and protect your home from damage.

Trim back trees

High winds can cause trees to fall or branches to break which can cause damage to your home. Be sure to trim trees and check them for strength before the winter season. This can help you avoid the burden of dealing with a branch that’s gone through a window or a tree falling on your roof during a winter storm.

Insulate the roof

An insulated roof is not only more energy efficient, it can also be more effective at handling snow and ice – which can threaten roof integrity. Insulating your home may seem like a large investment, but the amount of money and headaches you will save in the long term far outstrip the initial cash expenditure.

Once winter is in full swing, the best way to prevent damage to your home is to keep snow, ice and debris off your roof. A snow rake is a good way to break up and remove excess weight from your roof, which reduces the strain on the structure to ensure your home will remain damage-free. Professional roof maintenance companies can also remove excess snow and ice in the aftermath of a significant storm.

Heating Maintenance

Your heating system is the only thing standing between you and the winter chill. Maintaining your heating system is essential to its long-term health and worry-free operation. A yearly check-up for your system is recommended. The cost of regular maintenance is reasonable, and far more desirable than the expense involved in an emergency call should your heat go out during the height of the season.

In addition to maintaining your heating system, properly updating and insulating your windows and doors is one of the best ways to keep the heat in and the bills down. Replace old windows with double-pane windows, repair broken seals that can cause heat to escape, and add weather stripping where necessary to fully insulate your home against the plunging temperatures.

With these few tips, you can make your home energy efficient, safe, and damage-free during the most punishing months of the year.

All insurance policies are different. Be sure to review your insurance policy for specific information about coverages available to you. Nothing in this post is meant to suggest a guarantee of coverage.