As the seasons change, so do our needs at home. In the summer, everyone is desperate for their veranda, outdoor seating, and barbeques. When the summer nights fade towards cold, dark, winter evenings, these things are no longer a priority.
Instead, when the winter comes, your home needs to be warm and safe, to protect you from the dangers of winter weather. You want to be sure that your home is structurally sound and weather-proofed. This handy guide will help you achieve a winter-proofed house, so read on to find out all you need to know.
Dangers of Winter Weather
It seems obvious, but it’s worth considering what the real implications of harsh winter weather are. The thing you’ll probably think of is the sheer cold. That is, without doubt, the most obvious part of winter weather. Depending on where you live, the temperature can regularly drop below freezing. If your house isn’t equipped to keep these temperatures at bay, you can find yourself struggling to get through the winter.
But, the cold isn’t the only thing you need to worry about. On top of this, you will likely experience much higher winds, higher levels of rainfall, and even heavy snow. All of these combined can put even the newest and strongest of houses to the test. So, let’s take a look at some of the things you can do to help your house stay weather-proof and warm.
Snow Guards on the Roof
This may not be something you have previously considered, but your roof takes a beating in winter. Throughout the summer, the roof is kept dry and warm, but, once the weather turns, it is a barrier in the face of the worst weather.
One of the biggest challenges that your roof will face is heavy snowfall. To combat this, many roofing experts suggest getting snow guards on your roof. These clever metal rails help prevent snow from building up too much in certain areas of your roof. If you don’t have them, your roof could take far too much weight in one place and collapse, putting you, your home, and anyone else in the area at risk.
As well as snow guards, you can include ladders and bridges. Yes – bridges on the roof! These allow you – or a professional – to get to the roof easily to clear any blockages caused by the weather.
Proper Insulation
To keep any home warm, insulation is installed during construction. However, over the years, insulation has improved massively. You may find that your home has tired, worn, outdated, or even unsafe insulating materials. Whether this is the case or not, it’s still worth getting your insulation checked by a construction expert. Once it is proven that you need to replace your old insulation, you can opt for spray foam insulation Michigan which uses foam proportioner to mix water and firefighting foam concentrate with air to produce low, medium or high expansion fire fighting foam which will make sure that all nooks and crannies are properly filled, leaving no space for heat to escape.
Insulation helps in two ways. Firstly, it keeps the cold out. The materials repel and absorb the cold air, helping to prevent it from permeating the walls. Secondly, it does the same job in reverse; keeping the heat inside your home. This is why it is so crucial when winter hits.
Check Double Glazing
Your windows do a similar job to the wall insulation, as long as they are in good condition. First off, if you don’t have double glazing, you should. The extra pane of glass helps circulation and insulation. If you have single-pane glass, seek a local company to come and quote for double glazing on your home.
If you already have double glazing, it’s worth checking to make sure it is in good working order. The rubber seals that run around the window edges should be flush, as should the frames when they shut. If any of these are gappy or loose, you will be letting unwanted cool breezes into your home all winter long.
Check Your Hot Water System
Finally, the winter can cause havoc with the central heating systems in your home. No matter what kind of hot water tank or boiler you have, you should get it serviced in the autumn months. An engineer can check that everything is in working order and therefore confirm that it should be equipped to deal with a hard-working winter. On top of this, pipes can freeze in the winter. If you allow your boiler to cool, break down, or freeze, you could be in for a huge repair bill. Make sure you have your system checked.
These few things can make the difference between a warm and comfortable winter home and a horrible winter experience. Check everything is in working order and properly insulated, while making sure your roof is in good condition, and you should be set for the former – a warm and comfortable winter!
