The Winter Joys of Home Ownership

October 6, 2011

So it seems that fall is here, are you ready for Winter?  More importantly, is your house ready?  Remember, we live in UPSTATE New York and the winters can be pretty harsh.  Luckily we have our homes to shelter us from the cold….snow….ice…..rain, and whatever else Mother Nature throws at us.  But, how do we keep our homes in tip-top shape so we can stay warm?  Just a few tips…

  • Make sure your roof is ready by replacing any damaged shingles.
  • Check the flashing to make sure water can not enter the home.
  • Clean out your gutters and downspouts, or remove them for the winter.
  • Change out those screens with storm windows, if you have them.
  • Turn off any outside water source / spigot.
  • Use a roof rake to keep snow off your roof and prevent build up.

 In the long run, anything you can do to stop water from entering your home and causing damage, can help avoid a homeowner claim.  Unfortunately, no matter what we do, sometimes Mother Nature still wins!