The seasons are a-changing, and the “beautiful” North Dakota/Minnesota winter wind and weather is upon us. It’s a predictable shift, yes, but one we never truly feel ready for, but a well-built home should be designed to handle it.
Here’s the truth: designing a home to handle our Midwest winter and actually preparing it for winter are two very different things. Winter weather doesn’t exploit a weak home all at once; it finds small, overlooked vulnerabilities and chips away at them over time. Ice, water, snow and wind are patient, destructive forces that you can combat if you know what to look for and take simple steps to protect your home.
To ensure you are fully prepared, take some time to Winterize Your Home Exterior. It’s crucial for protecting your investment. Consider each element of your property that contributes to its resilience against harsh winter conditions.
The Roof: Your first line of defense
Your roof takes the brunt of winter’s impact. To winterize your home exterior, inspect your shingles, flashing, gutters and downspouts. Regularly inspecting your home is essential to ensuring it withstands winter challenges.
- Inspect Your Shingles: Check for missing, cracked or curling shingles. Damaged shingles let water in and can cause bigger problems if left unchecked.
- Check Flashing: Flashing directs water away from critical areas like chimneys, vents, skylights. Pay close attention to penetration points against walls and valleys. Make sure it is tight, sealed and rust-free.
- Clear the Gutters: Keep gutters free of leaves and debris. Clogged gutters cause water to back up and form ice dams, which can damage your roof.
Siding + Walls: Armor for your home
To properly winterize your home exterior, don’t overlook the importance of siding maintenance. Your siding protects your home from the elements, but even the strongest shield can wear down over time and put your home’s protection at risk. To winterize your home exterior, check for gaps, cracks and peeling paint.
- Survey the Surface: Walk around your home. Look for cracked vinyl, rotted wood or gaps in mortar. Any opening can let water in and cause damage. For more guidance on maintaining siding, check out When Is It Time to Replace Your Home’s Siding.
- Seal the Gaps: Apply a high-quality exterior caulk around windows, doors and any place utility lines enter your home. This will help stop both water and drafts.
- Check the Paint: Paint does more than give your home some curb appeal. Peeling paint exposes wood to moisture, which can lead to rot. Ensure that your paint is intact to protect the wood beneath.
Windows + Doors: Keep drafts out and heat in
Drafts mean your home is losing heat and letting winter inside, which can cause your heating bill to skyrocket. To effectively winterize your home exterior, seal any potential draft sources around windows and doors.
- Inspect Weatherstripping: Check the seals around doors and windows. Replace any that are cracked or missing.
- Check Door Thresholds: Slide a piece of paper under your doors. If it moves easily, your threshold or door sweep may need some adjustments.
- Test Hose Bibs: Turn off interior shut-off valves for exterior faucets, open the faucet to drain remaining water, and store your hoses. Frozen pipes in walls are a big problem you don’t want to deal with this winter.
For more insights on upgrading to an energy-efficient home check out our blog on Energy-Efficient Products: Save Money and the Planet.
Foundation + Landscaping: Protection from the ground up
Foundation stability is critical as you work to winterize your home exterior. Pay close attention to water flow and moisture retention. Moisture starts at the ground level, so make sure you’re paying attention to grading, foundation cracks and nearby trees.
- Review the Grade: Water should flow away from your foundation. Sometimes adding soil near the foundation fixes small problems.
- Secure Downspouts: Water should flow at least five feet away from your foundation. Standing water near your home can cause serious damage over time.
- Inspect the Foundation: Small hairline cracks are normal. Anything bigger or horizontal cracks should be checked out by a professional.
- Trim Branches: Keep trees and shrubs from touching your home. They can scrape siding, drop leaves in gutters and trap moisture. Heavy ice on branches can break them and damage your home.
The Attachments: Decks, patios and outdoor storage
Even your outdoor spaces need attention to winterize your home’s exterior.
- Clear and Store Items: Move patio furniture, planters and grills into a garage or shed. Items left outside can trap moisture and cause accelerated wear.
- Prepare Equipment: Empty gas from lawn tools, tune snow blowers and make sure shovels are ready for the first big snow of the season.
Remember, taking steps to winterize your home exterior today can prevent more significant issues down the line. A few hours of preparation before the cold hits and snow flies can save you months of costly repairs. If you prepare like a professional and do the work now, then, you can let winter do what it does and rest easy knowing your home is sound. At Onyx Exteriors, we believe in work that lasts, and this is the first step to making sure it does.