Before you hang the Christmas decorations outside, there are a few essential winter home maintenance tasks to check off your list. Experts, including some from the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute, have filled us in on the tasks you’ll definitely want to complete before snow and frigid temperatures take hold in your area.
Here’s why you don’t want to put these chores off: Neglecting some of them can lead to costly repairs later in the season or even further down the line. For instance, if you find a problem with your heater or boiler now, you can probably get it fixed before you really need it to be working; if it goes out in the middle of January, you’re looking at a steep charge for same-day servicing. While home crises are hard to plan for, taking these steps now can potentially help you avoid a stressful situation.
These aren’t the only home maintenance tasks to have your eye on, but they are the most essential, according to experts. For more tips, read up on the things you need to do in your home to prevent catastrophe and how to inspect your home after a deep freeze.
Clean the gutters
Gutters stuffed with leaves and debris lead to a litany of problems, including leaky roofs and rotting fascia boards. They can also cause serious headaches on the ground below. "Clogged gutters result in overflow that can seep into the foundation and basements causing all the problems associated with water, like mold and mildew, plus potential structural issues down the road," explains Michael DiMartino, SVP of Installation at Power Home Remodeling. In fact, the hydrostatic pressure from saturated soil could cause your foundation walls to crack, bow, and even collapse. That could lead to thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars in repairs, not to mention the many safety concerns associated with a compromised foundation.
Get your heating system serviced
You should really knock this one off your to-do list in late summer or early fall, when heating contractors are less busy. But if you act quickly, you should be able to get a service pro in before the system is running full tilt in the dead of winter. The last thing you want is for your furnace or boiler to go out on the coldest day of the year. In that scenario, you’re unlikely to get same-day service, plus you might be subject to surge pricing, since pros will be in high demand.
The specifics of the tune-up will depend on your system, but most include tightening connections, lubricating moving parts, and running a safety check on all system controls. The service averages around $250, according to Angi. That's nothing to sneeze at, but besides keeping you warm through winter, it will help extend the life of your equipment by several years.
Check the attic insulation
This will help prevent the so-called stack effect, whereby heated air escapes up through your roof (which also draws cold outdoor air into the home on lower floors, creating updrafts). Proper insulation will make your home more comfortable and lower energy costs. "When paired with adequate ventilation, insulation also protects roofing materials, reduces strain on your heating system, and helps maintain a more efficient home throughout the year," DiMartino says.
It might surprise you to learn that a poorly insulated attic is also the main contributor to the ice dams that can form at the lower edge of the roof. That’s because an underinsulated attic causes the roof to get warmer, which in turn melts snow on its upper portion. Snow along the unheated heaves stays put, creating a dam that gets bigger and more damaging as melting snow turns to ice when the temperature drops below freezing.
Have a backup power plan
Snow and ice storms are common causes of blackouts, which can go on for days when road conditions hamper efforts by emergency crews to deal with downed wires. That’s why every home should have a portable generator. Portable gas generators are the traditional choice, and they still do the job at the best value. But our experts also like solar generators (aka portable power stations), since they run on a large battery, instead of gas, meaning you don’t need fuel on hand, nor is there any risk of carbon monoxide poisonings.
Scan for treacherous tree limbs
Once all the leaves have fallen, you’ll have a clear view of tree boughs in your yard. Look for dead or dying limbs, especially if they’re over the house or driveway. Weak branches can easily snap under the weight of wet, heavy snow or a layer of ice. If one of those branches plunges through the roof of your home or garage, or your car's windshield, you're looking at a costly repair.
Having written thousands of product reviews and how-to articles on all aspects of home ownership, from routine maintenance to major renovations, Dan (he/him) brings more than 20 years of industry experience to his role as the director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. A one-time roofer and a serial remodeler, Dan can often be found keeping house at his restored Brooklyn brownstone, where he lives with his wife and kids.
