Ah, summer—the time of year when the days are long, the nights are warm, and your home is basking in the glory of sunshine. But while you’re enjoying those lazy summer days, winter is lurking just a few months away, ready to pounce with its chilly winds and frosty nights.
As you already know, the summer is the perfect time for home improvements, but these home improvements can’t be just temporary, some of them need to be maybe used months away like the winter. So, what’s the best way to avoid that winter sting? Well, you’ll need to prepare your house now while the weather’s still friendly. So, with that all said, let’s dive into what you need to do this summer to get your home winter-ready.
Inspect and Seal Windows and Doors
As you already know, they keep out the elements and hold in the warmth, but only if they’re in top shape. If you’ve ever been inside an old house and compared that to a modern house, you’ll feel the difference! So, during the summer, take a walk around your house and inspect every window and door.
Ideally, you’re going to want to look for cracks, gaps, or signs of wear and tear that might invite the cold inside when winter rolls around. If you spot any, grab some caulk or weatherstripping and seal them up. So, not only will this keep your home toasty in the winter, but it’ll also save you from the shock of sky-high energy bills.
Add Insulation Where It Counts
So, you’ll need to specifically know how to beef it up. Basically, adding insulation might not be the most glamorous summer project, but you can count on your future self thanking you when you’re wrapped up in a warm blanket instead of shivering by the heater. It really can’t be stressed enough that insulation is your home’s first line of defense against the winter chill, and summer is the perfect time to give it a boost.
But there are many different types of insulation out there, too. For example, one that usually gets installed by roofers in the summer (and is intended especially for the winter) would be roof insulation batts, but this is just one type out of many different types. Ideally, you figure out what needs insulation in your home (and usually it’s the flooring and roof).
Check Your Gutters and Downspouts
Yes, no one likes checking these, but you basically don’t have a choice. So, during the summer, give them a good clean. Usually, it’s Autumn that you’ll need to check, and yes, you should check this Autumn as well (a few times), but it’s also going to help to look in the summer too (as storms can cause clogged gutters in summer months).
Prepare Your Pipes for the Cold
Frozen pipes are a winter nightmare, but they’re totally avoidable with a little summer prep. So, insulation was mentioned earlier, so it piggybacks on that. If you have any crawl spaces or basements, you’re going to want to insulate them. If you live in a trailer, then you’ll need to check your insulation under the trailer, too. Pipes can burst once they freeze, so you need insulation to prevent this.
