Are Your Home and Vehicle Prepared for Winter?

March 8, 2023

Fall is here and crazy temperature swings are telling us all that winter is coming. Are you, your family, and property prepared for the shift? Below are some easy tips to get a head start on being ready for this winter.

1. Tree Prep

Usually, the most prominent features in our yards, trees take it upon themselves to prepare for winter by losing their leaves, producing sugary sap, and going into a safe dormancy to wait for spring. This can be a dangerous time for trees, and if there’s a deep enough cut or break, such as from a storm, the internal systems of the tree can be too exposed to the elements and become weak and even die. Another important tree tip is to prune any dead or dying branches. A strong wind, and further north, snow, can put too much stress on weak or dead limbs and these can fall or be blown into their surroundings at high speeds. For more tree tips you can read more here !

2. Vehicle Maintenance

Braving the outdoors usually means hopping in your car or truck to take on the slush, snow, and ice the roads have to offer. Make sure you’ve got your vehicle ready for winter, starting from the inside out. Your battery, cooling system, brakes, belts, hoses, spark plugs, wires, and cables are at the top of the list for servicing before the weather turns. Next, and probably more obvious than the previous items, your tires. Having sturdy winter tires ready for the road will give you maximum traction no matter what winter throws at you. Want to take winter prep for your car to the max, take a look at this rundown by Bridgestone Tire.

3. Roof Inspection

To keep the outdoors, outdoors, you should give your roof a quick inspection. Get a free quote for a new roof here ! Missing shingles or broken flashing seals can let water into your home and winter storms and snowfall can turn those minor repairs into big nightmares. Once the roof has been inspected, check your gutters. Clogged gutters give water a place to slow down and once it turns to ice and expands gutters can break, leak, or worse, tear off under their own weight.

4. Indoor Prep

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of repairs. One of the easiest ways to make sure you and your family are ready for whatever winter throws at you is to get your HVAC system inspected and safe. Look for a heating and air-conditioning contractor that belongs to the Air Conditioning Contractors of America and employs technicians certified by the North American Technician Excellence (NATE) program. After that, give your doors and windows a quick look. Are there cracks or chips around the edges of the frame or glass?

You don’t have to fork over a bunch of money for new doors and windows but a little silicone caulk can be used to patch up any small gaps. Add in weatherstripping, found at any big box home improvement store, to keep any draft from getting inside. Answer a few questions here to get started with a window upgrade for your home.