Winterize Your Home - Roof, Gutter, Downspouts

 Flickr/Sage Taking A Break

Inspect Roof, Gutters & Downspouts

• In Minnesota, you know the temperatures are going to be below freezing so you will want to be sure you have enough insulation in your attic to keep warm air from creeping up to your roof and causing ice dams. 
  
• Check flashing to make certain the water can't get into your house. If you aren't certain what roof flashing is, This Old House has some helpful information.
• Replace worn roof shingles or tiles to protect your roof and keep the weather on the exterior of your house. 
• Clean out any leaves, pine needles, acorns and other items in the gutters. Use a hose to spray water down the downspouts to clear away debris. Having the gutters and downspouts in good working condition will help move moisture away from your house and keep you nice and dry inside.
• Install extensions on your downspouts to direct the water away from your house. You can also look into leaf guards for your gutters, but make sure you investigate how well they work, some styles are much better than others. 

Winterize Your Home - Windows and Doors

Photo by Riley

Check the Exterior, Doors and Windows

• Inspect the exterior of your house for crevice cracks; exposed entry points around pipes and faucets and seal them to prevent cold air from seeping in and keep rodents out.
• Use weatherstripping around doors to help seal them and prevent cold air from drafting into your house. While you are working on the weatherstripping, run some caulk around the edges of your windows.
• This is the time to fix cracked glass in windows and doors. If you need to replace an entire window glass, be sure to prime and paint the exposed wood so it is ready to go through winter. Most local hardware stores fix windows in case you need to have that done. 
• If you have a basement, it would be a great idea to protect the window wells by covering them with plastic shields. This will keep water and debris from filling up the well space and causing water to leak into the house.
• Now is the time to take your screens down and clean them for winter storage. Then put your storm windows in to help insulate the house. If you don't have storm windows, you can always put up 3M window insulator film to help keep your house warmer. 

Winterize Your Home - Furnace Inspection

Flickr/Photofarmer

Winter is coming, have you had your furnace inspected so you are ready for the first cold snap? Here are some tips to get ready.

Furnace Inspection

• Call an HVAC professional to inspect your furnace. If you want, you can have them clean your ducts too, be sure they pull all the gunk outside your home. This step will let you know your furnace is in good condition and is ready to work through the cold season.
• Stock up on furnace filters and change them monthly. This time of year there are lots of sales on filters so you should be able to find plenty to get you through the entire season at a good price.
• Consider adding a programmable thermostat. The cost usually runs between $30 and $250 dollars. These thermostats save energy and money on utility bills by allowing residents to set home temperatures according to various different factors. Most homeowners save $150 per year when these are used properly.
• Remove all flammable material from the area surrounding your furnace. No sense in taking the chance that your entire house will burn because of careless placement of burnable items. 
 

 

Basic Home Inspection Items

Photo: Flickr/kimubert

These are things a home buyer or seller will likely see inspected -- there will be variables depending on inspectors and locations.

• Structural Elements - this looks at the construction of walls, ceilings, roof and foundation. Your inspector does not have X-ray vision, so don't anticipate that they will be able to see through solid surfaces. 
• Exterior - landscape, grading, elevation, drainage, driveway, fencing, sidewalks, fascia, trim, doors, windows, lights and finally siding or exterior of the house. 
• Garage - standard items to evaluate include slab, walls, ceiling, vents, entry, firewall, fire door, garage door, automatic openers, lights, receptacles, exterior, windows and roof. We check to be sure the auto-reverse on the garage door works and doesn't require too much pressure to go back up. 
• Roof and Attics - your inspector will look at framing, ventilation, roof construction, flashing and gutters. In Minnesota, we look at how much insulation is in the attic too. We also look at damage from incorrectly vented fans, plumbing and more. 
• Plumbing - Check to make certain metal matches and there are no other dissimilar materials that would be a problem, evaluate pipe materials for potable, waste, vent and drain pipes. Check toilets, sinks, showers, faucets and traps. Don't expect that your inspector will be inspecting sewer or septic, those, like swimming pools and spas, are usually not covered.
• Mechanicals - this means the water heater, furnace, air-conditioning, duct work, chimneys and fireplaces. Some inspectors will inspect sprinklers, but many do not.
• Electrical system - your inspector should look at and evaluate the main electrical panel, circuit breakers, type of wiring, if wires are grounded, receptacles and switches, permanent light fixtures and ceiling fans. We also inspect bathroom fans which would be considered an electrical element.
• Appliances - it will depend on your inspector on whether these are looked at. Dishwasher, range, oven, built-in microwave, garbage disposal, some detectors and CO2 detectors. 

Our inspections start at $200, call for more information.