Home Maintenance Challenges in the Winter

It is always a challenge to keep your home well maintained, but in the winter months that challenge levels up by a few degrees. When you come into the winter season with appropriate expectations for the home maintenance challenges you will face, it is easier to actually stay on top of your home maintenance tasks. Whether it's precipitation, temperature, or humidity that is causing your winter struggles, the more you know the better you can do. Here are a few of the most common home maintenance challenges that you should prepare for this winter season.

Keeping Your Roof Intact 

The first struggle of winter is making sure that your roof is able to last through the season. It is always a good idea to inspect your roof after a storm, but in the winter this process is a little more difficult. Ice and snow can make your roof slippery and dangerous to get on top of. Ice dams in your gutters can lead to major damage, and if your roof is flat, you can experience problems from snow sitting on your roof for too long. Sometimes when there are major temperature changes, it can cause the snow on your roof to melt quickly which can lead to leaks and other problems.

Keeping Water Out 

When water gets into your home in any season it is a pain to deal with, but in the winter, it tends to be more often and so all the more frustrating. Some of this maintenance work needs to happen before winter begins so you are actually prepared for the season. For example, making sure your windows and doors are properly sealed can help to make sure that water can’t get in during the winter. Although this task is easier to handle during the fall before more extreme weather starts, it is possible to deal with it once winter begins.

Ensuring Your Home Stays Clean 

There is something about the winter that makes it more difficult to keep your home clean. Part of it may be that cold weather makes you want to just stay warm and cozy, but it’s also because tasks like taking out the trash are less comfortable in the winter months. The ice and snow of winter also makes it easier for you to track in dirt and debris whenever you enter your house. Using mats and keeping your shoes by the door can help you to keep control of this aspect of winter mess. Otherwise, simply keeping a schedule for cleaning can help make the winter a little easier on you.

Maintaining Your Home Warm 

Another challenge is keeping your home warm without overspending on your electric bill. Doing simple things like changing your HVAC filter can help you to stay on top of this issue. If you have a fireplace or other form of alternate heating, you want to make sure that you keep it maintained. Fireplaces need maintenance to keep clean and efficient. By taking advantage of natural sunlight in the day and covering your windows when it gets dark, you can add an extra layer of warmth to your home. Choosing high quality drapes or curtains can help to block out the cold air during cold winter nights.

Clearing Out Your Gutter 

Most homeowners don’t want to worry about what is going on inside their gutters. But ignoring your gutters can lead to major issues throughout the winter and beyond. It’s important to take care of gutter maintenance in the fall so your home is prepared for winter. When your gutters are full of leaves and other debris it can cause a few different problems. One is that it can lead to water building up in your gutters, freezing, and bursting through the gutter. It can also cause water to sit on your roof instead of in the gutter which can lead to leaks and other issues.

Caring for Your Pipes 

Pipes are highly susceptible to bursting when there are extreme changes in temperature from warm to cold. If the water in your pipes is allowed to freeze and expand, it can burst a pipe. To prevent this, make sure that your pipes are insulated from the cold. If you have pipes on the exterior of your home, check that the water is turned off and that they are empty before winter begins.

Getting Rid of Mold 

In the winter months, many areas of the world experience an increase in humidity. The humid air can then cause mold to grow. Since mold can be dangerous to your health, it is important to catch it early if it does have a chance to grow. Inspect your home for mold throughout the winter, especially in the areas with the most humidity, and do what you can to get rid of that mold and resolve the source of the humidity as well. If the situation persists, call up a professional to safely remove the problem from your home.

Keeping Driveways Clear 

It’s also important that you make sure that your driveways and sidewalks are free of snow throughout winter so you’re less likely to slip and get injured. This task can feel frustrating because in some areas it is really a constant struggle against the snowstorms that come. If you have a large area you need to keep free of snow, you may want to invest in equipment that will make your job a little easier. Make it a point to take care of snow as soon as it falls so you can keep the process simple and as automatic as possible. All of this will make maintaining your drive and sidewalks a little easier.

The winter season comes with many perks, like warm drinks and holidays spent with family. But it also comes with important maintenance tasks that you need to keep up with. Take care of your winter maintenance, and you will keep your home happy and safe all winter long!

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