Preparing Your Home for our Canadian Winters

Clean clogged gutters

As the last leaves fall from your trees, it’s important to check your gutters for blockages. Clogged gutters can impede the drainage of melted snow from your roof, possibly causing damage to your home’s landscape and foundation.

Heating system maintenance

Have a professional come to your home to check your furnace before you turn it on. Also, make sure to change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors (if you haven’t just changed them when you changed your clocks back at the beginning of November).

Plug leaks

Recaulk the exteriors of your windows to prevent drafts in your home. This can help you save money on heating your home. Another reason to recaulk your windows is to prevent leaks that can cause extensive damage when the snow on your window sills begins to melt.

Inspect your roof

Loose or missing shingles can show up as leaks in your ceiling. That is definitely something every homeowner wants to avoid! Something to keep in mind is that the average lifespan of an asphalt shingle roof (most common type of roof in North America) is 15 to 20 years.

Shut off and drain all outdoor faucets

Now that lawn-watering season is behind us it’s important to turn off the water supply to all outdoor faucets and sprinkler systems. Once the water is turned off, run the outdoor faucets until the water in the pipes is completely drained.

Hire a professional home watch company

If you plan to go away this winter season, whether it’s for a few days or even a few months, check your insurance policy before you depart. Many homeowners don’t realise that their insurance provider may deny coverage for damage if no one has been in their home regularly to check that all is okay (some policies require someone check on the home as often as every 2 days!). Toronto Home Watch uses GPS enabled checklists that can document that your home has been checked as often as required, helping you maintain your home’s coverage.