5 steps to make this holiday season watertight for your home!
We’ve just wrapped up another hectic holiday season in the home improvement world and homeowners across North America have been gearing up for the cold weather that has arrived early this year. Time to be thankful, take a deep breath, and get ready for what is going to be an interesting winter! The team at ProMatcher (an online marketplace where homeowners can find local contractors and compare prices on home improvement projects) has been going full throttle this year while working with customers across North America. We asked a few of our “seasoned veterans” why they believe their customers have been so active over the past few months and here’s what we discovered:
People are looking for ways to keep dry during the winter!
Sure it’s easy for us to say, but there are some simple steps homeowners can take to ensure their home is ready for the winter season.
Our team of professionals put together a list of 5 things that customers should do before the snow starts falling:
Get your chimney checked by a professional –
It may be time to start that spring cleaning if your home still has the old cast iron, wood-burning fireplace you picked up at the Restore over 10 years ago. There are also options like pellet stoves and traditional gas log sets. Whatever it is, make sure to pick out something new before you start using it this winter.
Keep gutters clean –
You already know how important they are any other time of year, but especially now. Make sure the downspouts are clear of debris to avoid flooding issues when the snow melts off roofs during warm spells. If your gutters haven’t been cleaned in a while (or ever!), then now may be a good time to call someone for an inspection or even do it yourself with gutter cleaning tools.
Install quality roofing materials –
If you’re thinking about doing your roof yourself, then we would suggest that this is not the time to be testing out those DIY videos on YouTube. Thousands of people attempt their own repairs every year and the majority of them admit that they wish they had just been a professional instead. The last thing you want to do is fix one problem and create another by using sub-par materials or working under the wrong conditions (like along a ridgeline where it’s steep and icy).
Upgrading to high-performance insulation products –
Adding more insulation doesn’t stop at your attic space! Insulating warm air from escaping through walls will help keep heating bills lower since less heat will escape into rooms that are typically not use as much during colder weather?
Check your HVAC system –
Having a professional technician come out and perform an inspection on an older heating system will go a long way. To prevent any problems that may arise. It’s important to be proactive rather than reactive when dealing with HVAC systems because they can cause extensive damage if not maintained properly (especially in outdoor locations where debris falls onto the unit). Plus, depending on how old it is, you may also need some service or repairs done to make it more efficient for this winter season. Homeowners typically complain about their heating costs between October and March, so using less energy easily translates into big savings around the house.
What we’ve learned from our customers over this past year is that people are looking to invest in their homes before the cold weather arrives. This could be anything from a new roof, more insulation, windows or even a new HVAC system. In fact, many customers that contact us are planning on major renovations and they want to make sure that their home is as energy efficient as possible before beginning those projects.
Conclusion:
One thing we would like everyone to keep in mind is that although some of these tasks might seem intimidating at first glance, you don’t have to do everything all at once! For instance, if your gutters haven’t clean in a while then it’s definitely time for a re-do. But if your roof was replace last year with high-quality materials…well…you probably don’t have too much to worry about.
Plus, you should also keep in mind that there are plenty of professionals out there who can help with whatever issue might arise. It doesn’t matter if it’s an emergency or something scheduled well in advance (like during the spring and fall seasons), we’ll be here to assist! So feel free to contact us anytime day or night if you need any service work done on your home before the snow starts falling this winter.