The brutal winter weather can absolutely destroy the exterior of your home if you are not careful. If the cold weather was not bad enough, then you also have to deal with snow, ice, and strong winds in the winter. With the bad weather about to be here very soon, it is time to take action right now. These are the four things you must do to protect your home exterior from weather damage this winter.
Trim the Trees
Large trees start to develop dead and brittle branches over time. These branches do a lot of damage to roofs every winter because they are unable to hold the heavy weight of snow and ice. Since you do not want a large tree branch falling on your home or car, it is best to get your trees trimmed before the start of winter. The trimmer will ensure all dead branches are removed, so you will not have to worry about ice and snow accumulating in the trees this winter.
Caulk Exterior Cracks
There are several ways that a cracked exterior can come back to haunt you in the winter. The cold weather will make these cracks expand, which can potentially lead to foundation problems in the future. The average total heating cost in the winter is around $1,000, but it will be a lot higher if you allow cold air to seep into the home through exterior cracks. You can also develop mold issues if water seeps through the cracks. Prevent these problems by caulking all of the cracks.
Clean the Gutters
Leaves, branches, and other debris routinely fall from trees during the fall season. All of this gunk collects in your gutters after it lands on your roof. If you do not take the time to clean the gutters right now, then you will have a huge problem this winter. Melted snow and ice will cause a lot of water to travel through the gutters in the winter. If this water is unable to drain out of the gutters, then it will start to seep into your home. This will cause water damage to the ceilings and wall if left untreated.
Install Gutter Guards
After you are done cleaning the gutters, you will want to install gutter guards. This provides extra protection to the exterior of your home by preventing leaves and debris from entering the gutters. Once the guards are installed, you will never have to worry about cleaning the gutters ever again.
Harsh winter weather can do a lot of harm to your home if you don’t prepare correctly. Follow the above tips this fall to prepare for the snow and wind to come.