Prepping Your Home for Cold Weather
One aspect of living in east-central Virginia that many residents grow to love is the climate. Virginia is a four-season state, which means plenty of variety — from the cold and snowy months of winter, to the humid “dog days” of summer, to the crisp beauty of fall, to the eternal hopefulness of spring.
At the same time, because the region is coastal and located at a relatively low latitude, the seasons are all relatively mild. Thus Virginians (especially those in Richmond, Newport News, King William, and other cities of the east-central part of the state) enjoy weather that is simultaneously well-varied yet pleasantly tempered.
Because we are currently entering the final days of fall, with the cold days of winter right around the corner, it’s time for Virginia homeowners to begin preparing their places of residence for the inevitable snow, ice, and winter weather. In this article, we have compiled a few simple yet important tips that will help you do just that:
- Seal doors and windows. This will prevent annoying drafts, make it more difficult for pests to enter, and possibly even save you a bundle on your heating and energy costs.
- Let there be (natural) light. Changing curtains, rearranging furniture, and/or adding mirrors can all help increase the amount of natural light that enters a room — and this can be extra important in the dark, dreary months of winter.
- Insulate thoroughly. Pay special attention to damp, vulnerable areas such as your basement, attic, and crawlspace. Keeping pipes covered can also help improve energy efficiency and reduce the risk for leaks and cracks.
- Perform end-of-year lawncare. Removing dead leaves, cutting your grass one last time, and performing other basic pieces of lawn care now will help avoid issues such as mold, while ensuring that your yard looks fantastic come springtime.
- Spend some quality time with your roof. At the very least, clean your gutters thoroughly and inspect for any broken shingles or potential problems. Snow can be surprisingly heavy, so if your roof is already in bad shape leaks are nearly inevitable. Making repairs now will be much easier and inexpensive than responding to a major problem in January.
- Tune up your heating system. Again, preventive maintenance is the name of the game. No one wants to pass a frigid winter day waiting for repairs on their heating system just because they forgot to perform a tune-up in fall.
- Stock up on emergency supplies. During winter storms, venturing outside can be difficult and possibly even dangerous. This is why keeping a small stock of emergency supplies — i.e. a shovel, flashlight, bottled water, canned food, snow salt, etc. — is usually a smart idea.
Did you find today’s article useful? Take a moment to check out a recent post on school districts and home values or family activities in Central Virginia — or simply visit the Blue Marble Properties home page and browse our wide selection of resources for home buyers, home sellers, and Virginia residents!