Stop any possible winter woes at home by preparing now

It’s that time of year again where the leaves change, the days get shorter, and the nights get a whole lot colder.

Ahead of that inevitable encounter with Old Man Winter, a little preparation can go a long way.

Read more:

• Climatologist says early October ‘certainly won’t be sweater weather’ in Saskatchewan
• Milder, wetter winter ahead, predicts Old Farmer’s Almanac

Whether it’s making sure windows and doors are sealed off from outside air and there’s no water left in the sprinkler system, or changing out the furnace filter, there are lots of ways to avoid the winter woes.

Matt Bartake, partner and senior manager with Boss Plumbing in Saskatoon, said October is a really busy time of the year.

“Once those first few cold days come people start to realize that the house is getting colder and colder and the heat won’t turn on, or maybe they also have situations where they’re trying to get ready for winter and they’d prefer to have someone else take over and have a professional come in,” he said.

“So we’re going and turning off the lawn services outside and draining them out. Then there’s always sprinklers, you have to get those blown out too, so you don’t have to do some excavating when the spring comes.”

When it comes to new homeowners, Bartake said that there are things that can be easily forgotten.

“If you have a humidifier on your furnace, there’s a summer and a winter setting on that, so that’s another thing, especially in a new house, people may not know about,” he said.

“So there’s just a little switch on it, you switch it over to winter, and you’re good to go.”

For those who suffer from procrastination, Bartake said it’s easier to deal with a problem in plus temperatures rather than minus ones.

“The furnace filter is a big one, sometimes in this weather, you’re not going to notice it, because the furnace can go off and on but still catch up to the temperature it needs,” he said.

“But when you’re talking about when it gets really cold, like down to – 20 C or something, the furnace filter could be too plugged and will cause the furnace to overheat, then it can’t quite get up to where you have it set to,” he said.

“Those are the things that can be a simple thing, something you can handle easily, but if you forget about it, it can make for some trouble.”

Here are some tips for preparing your home for winter:

• Checking your roof for damaged, loose, and missing shingles could be the difference between having or not having a leak during a winter storm. Keep an eye out for cracks in flashing seals around vent stacks and chimneys.
• Checking things like your home’s heating can ensure your home stays warm and comfortable in the winter and avoid more problems down the line.
• Making sure your windows and doors are sealed off from the outside air. If there’s a gap bigger than a nickel, you may need to apply silicone caulk and add weatherstripping. It could save you from the cold and save your wallet from extra heating costs.
• Cleaning your home’s gutters can be another important step. Things like leaves and small sticks can block the flow of water and snow and can cause water to run down the side of your home, causing ice buildup and damage.
• Checking your home’s carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. Property fires become more common in the winter, and an early warning can make all the difference.

Read more:

• Climatologist says early October ‘certainly won’t be sweater weather’ in Saskatchewan
• Milder, wetter winter ahead, predicts Old Farmer’s Almanac