Prepareing your Home for Winter

GUTTERS
If your like most people you haven't given much thought over the summer to your Gutters, so now is the time to check them. Clogged gutters and drain pipes can form Ice Dams that will lead to water backing up into your home. The weight of ice and snow can pull gutters off the house so make sure they are not loose or sagging. Downspouts should extend away from the house by at least 5 feet to prevent flooding of the foundation

Insulation
 Warm air will escape out of any cracks and can make your heating system work harder and cost you more to heat your home.  Use caulk to seal cracks and openings between stationary house components like a door frame and weatherstripping to seal components that move like an operable window.
Insulation is another important way to prepare your home for fall and winter. In winter, heat in your home will try to flow directly from all heated living spaces to adjacent unheated attics, garages, basements, and even to the outdoors. Heat flow can also move indirectly through interior ceilings, walls, and floors -- wherever there is a difference in temperature.
This means that your heating system has to work harder if your home isn't properly insulated, costing you money and wasting energy. Properly insulating your home will decrease heat flow by providing an effective resistance to the flow of heat.

WINDOWS
Windows are your barrier to the cold. Windows with low-e coating reduce heat loss and even reflect back part of the room's heat. Installing storm windows can also reduce heat loss through windows by approximately 10%-20%.

ROOF
 Check for missing, damaged or warped shingles and replace, as necessary before you get stuck with a leak  Check for deteriorated flashing at the chimney, walls, and skylights and around vent pipes. Seal joints where water could penetrate, using roofing cement and a caulking gun.
Make sure your roof is vented properly, if your house is designed to have a vented roof. Make sure your soffit vents aren't blocked, your gable vents are open.
.. If you have R18 insulation value, turn it into R36. This will help prevent Ice Dams

DECKS
“The easiest thing that homeowners can do to maintain their deck is to give it a good cleaning. The best cleaning technique is to use a garden hose, a soft car brush and a deck cleaner. During winter keep as much snow off it as possible. Finally, you should seal your deck or patio with a water repellant. This way, it will be able to withstand all of the moisture, snow and ice that it will endure throughout the winter months. If you do not seal your deck or patio, the wood surface may start to crack and become warped.

DOORS
Replace any screen doors with Storm Doors or add a Storm Door to your entry doors.

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