How to Make Your Home Comfortably Warm in the Canada Cold
Winter is here, and with it, a number of potential concerns. Sustained freezing temperatures coupled with winter precipitation can cause myriad problems to your home that can leave you out in the cold. These could be anything from heating and insulation problems to structural damage, like leaks.
Luckily, many of these less-than-ideal situations can be avoided by simple yet effective home maintenance. Such preventive TLC is particularly crucial in areas that experience harsh winters, as heavy snowfall and ice buildup invariably hasten a house’s wear and tear. With that in mind, Artistica invites you to consider the following measures.
Start Early
It’s all too easy to sit back, relax and pay no heed to your home’s winter-readiness when the sun is shining and the temperatures are pleasant. Don’t give in to the temptation, though, and most definitely don’t wait until the first snowfall to get started on winter preparations.
Make a List, Check It Twice
Keeping your home ready for the deep freeze will ultimately mean the difference between having a good winter and a bad one. But with a plethora of considerations, both inside and outside the home, this can be an overwhelming task. Suffice it to say, it’s a good idea to have a comprehensive maintenance checklist that will not only keep you on track, but also ensure you don’t end up leaving anything to chance. Here are some tasks you should never leave out:
- If you use a fireplace, ensure that it’s regularly serviced by a professional chimney sweep. Items to address include creosote build-up, cracks and debris such as animal nests.
- Change your air filters and have a professional service the furnace before the first flakes start to fly. MoneyTalksNews notes that a good rule of thumb is to replace your filters monthly in winter and every three months for the rest of the year. Doing so will increase furnace efficiency which, in turn, reduces your heating bills. Also make sure that your thermostat is working properly.
- Close air leaks. Attic Insulation Toronto notes that gaps could leak up to 38 percent of your heated air outdoors and allow cold air indoors. You also need to keep your fireplace damper closed when you have no fire going, as well as seal leaky heating ducts.
- Make it a priority to clear leaves and other debris from gutters. This is to prevent water and ice from building up, which could lead to ice dams. If you have a great deal of debris, installing gutter guards can reduce your workload.
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Wintertime moisture and precipitation calls for checking your roof and ensuring it’s in good condition. The freeze-thaw cycle is notorious for wreaking havoc on roofs with issues like bent flashing or frayed shingles, as it allows snow and ice to creep into the smallest crevices. It’s important to fix issues long before winter sets in.
- Cut overhanging branches away from your roof as these could break after a heavy snowfall and damage your roof.
- Cover your windows with plastic to control moisture and condensation, as well as reduce air leakage.
- Concern yourself with carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, especially if you use a gas heater. CO is odorless and invisible which makes it extremely dangerous in closed spaces, so ensure that you have adequate ventilation, as well as consider installing a CO detector.
Make the Most of Your Interior
Once you complete your weatherization checklist, it’s time to turn your attention indoors, especially if you’ll be spending an inordinate amount of time at home.
Many people opt for indoor projects that pack a punch this time of year, so if you’ve been putting off a room makeover or even something as simple as hanging new artwork, now’s the time to do it. And you can count on great results when you work with the team at Artistica, which offers high-quality framing onsite, as well as digital image enlargements that can be printed on poster, canvas and even plexiglas. Framed lithographs are also available.
If you’re game for more than a simple makeover, perhaps the ultimate way to invest in your home this winter is through a basement renovation. Not only can this provide an additional area for a home gym, family room, game room or even home office, but it can also increase your home’s value. When diving into a large project like a renovation, always get an idea of what you can afford to spend first, and consider what sort of materials you hope to use. Next, make sure to get at least three quotes to find the ideal contractor for the job.
Get Cozy
Now that your home is properly winterized and warm, there’s not much else to do but to cozy up to the warmth of the hearth. Before you get too comfortable, though, bear in mind that where there’s fire, there’s also danger. So make sure to keep combustible items away from heaters and fireplaces, and never leave fires unattended.
With a winter-ready space and safety precautions in place, you’ll be able to bask in the warmth and comfort of home with nary a worry. Tick these items off your to-do list, the sooner the better.
Photo courtesy of Pexels.com
Artistica helps customers worldwide decorate their homes, dorm rooms, apartments, and offices, with hundreds of thousands of posters and art prints and canvas, not to mention framing and mounting services. Contact us today! 1-800-361-5270
