Winter takes a toll on your house no matter where in the country you live, and particularly these days when weather events are breaking records. When the wind is whipping, it’s pouring rain, or the snow is falling, isn’t the time to make sure your home is buttoned up and ready for it. So, as the man of the house, make sure to take some time now to catch any small problems before they become big ones.

Here’s a list of some easy tasks you’ll be glad you did:

Check Out The Roof

The roof protects everything you own and everyone you love, so it’s especially important to make sure it’s going to do its job against harsh weather. If you can see missing or warped shingles or broken tiles, have them replaced right away. As for actually getting up on the roof yourself to inspect what you can’t see from the ground, you know it’s not the safest thing to do, so it’s better to schedule an inspection by professionals. Along with the roof itself, you want to make sure that flashing around vents and skylights is intact, and that the spark arrestor on your chimney is still in place. Some roofing companies will do this for free, while others will charge for the inspection and apply the fee to any necessary repairs.

Clean Gutters And Align Downspouts

Clogged gutters can cause water to pool and lead to leaks, mold, and damage to eaves (in a rainy climate (gutter cleaning Seattle, for example, regular cleaning would be essential). Once they’re cleaned out, consider installing gutter guards, the micromesh screens that allow water in but keep leaves and debris out. While you’re at it, check to see that downspouts are affixed firmly and that they direct water away from the house. If necessary, get downspout extenders that will assure that saturated ground doesn’t cause problems due to seepage into the foundation. 

Check Vents And Other Openings

Walk around the outside of the house to make sure that all exterior coverings for vents and other openings are still in place. Critters like to come inside in any season, but winter cold makes it particularly appealing to come inside to nest. Once you’ve examined the exterior, go up to the attic and check vents and openings there, too. If you subscribe to regular service by a pest control company, this should be part of their annual routine. 

Inspect Weather Stripping

The weather stripping around windows and doors keeps warm air in and cold air out. If it’s deteriorated, you’re going to feel it in your heating bill. If you’ve got wooden window frames, check them for deterioration at the same time, and see that they’re repaired or replaced before they lose their structural integrity.  

Check Your Heating System

At the very least, replace the filters to assure that it’s clean air that’s circulating in your house. It’s also smart to inspect exposed ducts and use a sealant to plug any leaks. If you’ve been making do with an old thermostat that doesn’t regular the temperature evenly, replace it with a programmable model that maintains the temperature to keep you comfortable while saving you money.

If you’ve got a room that never seems to be warm enough, or if you want to heat one room without powering on the whole house system, consider getting a wall heater. They’re available with electric, natural gas, and propane power sources, and can be particularly useful to keep basements warm enough so they don’t develop problems from frost or damp conditions. 

 Call In A Chimney Sweep

If your fireplace gets a lot of use, it could have a dangerous buildup of creosote, a highly flammable oil produced by wood smoke. That creosote coating can ignite and cause a damaging (and expensive to repair) fire in the chimney that could spread to the rest of the house as well. Inspecting and cleaning the chimney is best left to a professional who will also make sure your flue is in good shape to close properly so it keeps drafts out when the fireplace isn’t in use. 

Test Your Smoke And Carbon-Monoxide Detectors

Since you and your family will be spending more time indoors with windows and doors shut as well as heaters and fireplaces on, it’s important to make sure your smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors are charged and ready to alert you to any danger. Most house fires occur in fall and winter, so now is also a good time to go over a safety plan with your kids. 

Once you have checked the above items off your “honey-do” list, then lay in a good supply of hot cocoa mix and mittens and you’re ready for the season.