The falling leaves mean winter is right around the corner, and it’s never too early to start preparing your home for the cold Canadian winter. It doesn’t take much to prepare your home to withstand the snow, sleet, freezing rain, and bitter cold Canadian’s have come accustomed to. The following suggestions can help cut down on your heating bill this winter or save you from making some major repairs once all the snow melts next spring. They can also all be completed over a long weekend! 

HVAC Inspections

Before turning on your furnace this winter, it’s important to schedule an appointment with an HVAC company to check your unit and make sure it is running efficiently and safely for the upcoming winter. The company should clean and replace air filters, check the blower operation, clean the motor and fan, inspect the gas piping to the furnace, and do a safety check for carbon monoxide emissions. 

Insulation Check

Adding more insulation in your attic can help make your home more energy-efficient during the cold winter months. Your attic should have a minimum of 12 inches of insulation. Whether it’s pink or yellow, the extra padding will help keep the heat in. If you’re adding new insulation to what is currently there, make sure there is no paper-backing attached to the insulation. The paper can act as a vapor barrier and could cause issues in the future. 

Wrap Pipes

Winter means much colder weather, which means exposed pipes could freeze and burst. Insulating your pipes not only helps reduce heat loss, but it can also help regulate the temperature of the water delivered through the pipes. Making sure your pipes are wrapped will also save you money on your electric or gas bill. Your local hardware store carries pre-slit pipe foam, which can be easily cut down to fit any pipes that may be at risk of freezing once the temperature drops. 

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector Checks

With colder weather comes to use of space heaters, furnaces, and boilers, which means there is an increase in house fires and cases of carbon monoxide poisoning. Check or replace the batteries in the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors once the temperature drops to ensure your family’s safety this winter.

Clean Out Gutters

When preparing the exterior of your home for the upcoming winter months, don’t forget to check the gutters! Gutters clogged with dead leaves and other gunk can cause water to back up and freeze near the edge of the roof. As the ice continues to build up, it eventually forms a “dam” that will block the path of melting snow from the roof to the gutters. Ice dams can cause pooling in the gutters, which can then begin seeping into your home and cause water damage.