There is a lot to love about winter. The winter season can bring us some truly beautiful backdrops and picturesque (many would even say Instagram-worthy) settings. It also brings to mind the holiday season and all of the wonderful things that come with getting into the spirit of the holidays; and let's not forget things like skiing, snowboarding, outdoor skating rinks, and snowball fights. There’s a lot to look forward to as the temperature starts to drop.

That being said, winter can be a tough on homes, and this fact is particularly true with older properties. However, if you make a few simple changes to your home now, you will be able to avoid a lot of problems during those bitterly cold winter months. By taking just a few steps, your home will be ready for anything winter throws at it.

How To Get Your Home Ready For Winter

When winter arrives, you are going to be really glad you took a few moments in your busy life to get your home prepared for the season. Getting your home ready for the winter involves just a few simple steps. Here are some easy ways to make sure your home is ready for winter with the help of Improve Canada:

Inspect the inside and outside of your windows and doors. You’re definitely going to want to check your windows to make sure they can adequately keep the cold weather out of your home. Caulking any cracks that appeared during the summer is a great idea, as well as having weather stripping installed. Make sure to do a thorough check for broken window glass that needs to be restored.

Heating system filters. These should be replaced before the start of winter. There are many people who would suggest changing the filter more regularly. If you own a gas heater, make it a point to check your pilot light. 

Paint a room. Believe it or not, but painting a major room in your home can be an excellent way to keep out mildew and mould. So if you were thinking about changing the colour of a room in the spring time, don’t wait until May, do it now!

Fireplace elements. If you have a fireplace, you have a great way to keep warm on a cold winter’s night. Before the season starts, make it a point to inspect, clean, and/or repair any fireplace elements that are in need of some maintenance. This includes your chimney and flue.

Carbon monoxide/smoke detectors. It almost goes without saying that these devices should be inspected before the winter season really gets going. Make sure to do this prior to changing your clocks for daylight savings.

Swap out your linens. Change your light summer linens for heavier, softer blankets and other essentials. Nothing makes sleeping in your bed on a winter night better than creating a cozy cocoon of warmth around your body.

Trimming trees. Either do this yourself, or hire a professional landscaping company to take care of the task for you. Look for branches that are scraping against your roof or windows because these are the branches that can cause problems during severe bouts of weather.

Rain gutters and downspouts. Both of these should be cleaned and inspected carefully. What you ultimately want to do is remove as much in the way of dirt and debris as possible. This is another task in which you may want to consider calling a professional, if you don’t have a ton of experience with cleaning gutters/downspouts.

The exterior. Perform a comprehensive inspection of the exterior of your home. If you see any areas in which the paint has become chipped, or damaged in some other way, consider repainting these areas. After all, paint and stucco are both responsible for protecting your home, beyond simply making your house look nice.

The roof. Finally, hire someone to perform an inspection of your roof. This is a good way to catch any potential problems before an issue becomes something you can’t handle, like leaks, cracks, or other types of damage.

Is Your Home Ready For Winter?

Staying warm and comfortable in your home during winter is important to, well, everyone. No one wants to spend their time at home hiding under 100 layers of blankets. The above list should give you a good idea of what needs to be done to keep the cold winter weather from turning your home into a frozen tundra.

Participating Vendors

Ultra Comfort  HVAC  & Fireplaces Company 

GTA Heating & AC HVAC & Fireplaces Company

Consumers Energy Management HVAC & Fireplaces Company

Improve Aire HVAC & Fireplaces Company

Maple Air HVAC & Fireplaces Company

Platinum Walls Exterior Cladding Company

Pristine Painting & Decorating Inc  Renovation Contractor

Simply Comfort HVAC & Fireplaces Company

Toronto Home Comfort HVAC & Fireplaces Company

Total Home WIndows & Doors Windows and Exterior Doors Company

Triumph Roofing Company

Reno - Art Contracting Renovation Contractor