One thing that anyone living in Minnesota knows is that as beautiful as the spring, summer, and autumn seasons are, the winter can be a bit rough. It too can be beautiful with plentiful powdery snow, but the drop in temperature and shorter days can wear even the strongest person down.
But, it’s not only people that a harsh winter can affect. Below freezing temperatures and other winter conditions can take their toll on your home as well.
Here are a few ways to prepare your home for the cold winter months.
Do an Insulation Audit
One of the easiest things you can do to get your home ready for the winter is to spend a couple of hours going through your home and seeing what shape the insulation is in. If you have an attic or crawl space make sure the insulation has not fallen out of place.
You can also go the extra mile and insulate any exposed piping you have. That will help slow heat transfer, which can save you money.
Lastly, while you’re poking around the various corners of your home checking on insulation, you can spend a few extra minutes and check on door and window weather stripping. The idea is to keep the heat in and the cold out as efficiently as possible.
Have Your HVAC System Inspected
If your air conditioner gives you problems in the summer, you can always hop in a car and head to a friend or family member’s home for an evening if your home gets too hot. But, if you are snowed in and your heater stops working, you can have a real emergency on your hands.
It’s extremely important to have your heater, no matter what type your home has, checked and serviced by a professional each and every year before winter sets in. Besides saving you money in the long run by making sure your heater is functioning efficiently, it can literally save your life.
Stock Up on Supplies
No matter how much you prepare your home to hold up to the harsh winter elements, you cannot control Mother Nature. While your house might be OK, it is possible that your town or city power grid take a hit from a particularly nasty storm.
Even if you did everything possible to get your home ready for the winter, you still might end up snowed in. Having a bunch of supplies ready is always a winning idea.
If you have a fireplace, you’ll want to have seasoned firewood ready to go. Stocking up on plenty of nonperishable foods right as the autumn gives way to the winter is highly recommended. And, have plenty of clean drinking water on premises too.
You can always use the food and water later, so there’s no harm in stocking up ahead of time.
In Summary
Waiting until a big winter storm hits to prepare your home for a rough winter is too late. You really should spend a weekend before the winter season getting situated.
Insulation will keep the heat in and cold out as well as keep your pipes in decent shape. A properly functioning heating system will ensure you don’t have a mechanical failure at the worst possible time. And, stocking up on supplies is a great safety net.
