According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the upcoming “bitterly cold” season could turn out to be another freezing, frosty, and frigid winter for most of the country. So while many of us are busy preparing for the holiday season, there are home maintenance projects that we need to take care of before going on holiday mode.

Every year, Canadians spend thousands of dollars for home repairs caused by improper, or more explicitly, lack of preparation for the winter season. As the weather starts to be chilly, Canadian homeowners need to button up their abodes and keep the cold out, the heat in, and keep everyone happy throughout the chilly holiday season.

To help you avoid those unnecessary costs brought about by the winter season, here are some last-minute home improvement tips for winter that can help protect your home from the bitter cold.

Home Projects To Prepare Your Home For Winter

1. Clean Your Ducts And Service Your Furnace

Before the winter season starts, it is recommended to have your ducts inspected and cleaned by an HVAC professional. Dirt, molds, and grime often build up on the ducts during the hot season and this can harm your family once it circulates around your house.

Your furnace likewise needs proper care and maintenance. Without the appropriate maintenance, issues often arise over time. The most ideal solution is to have your furnace serviced. A knowledgeable pro can ensure the safety of your heating appliance.

Another home improvement tip for winter that is likewise energy saving is to never forget to change the air filters of your furnace. It gets clogged and dirty over time and can restrict the airflow in your home that will make your furnace work harder, causing your power bill to skyrocket during the cold season.

A good HVAC pro can make recommendations that will suit your budget.

2. Check Your Gutters And Downspouts

Since winter is just around the corner, it’s better to check your gutters, roof, and downspout to make sure they are in good condition. Often times during the course of the Autumn season, a lot of debris and leaves get clogged up in the gutters and blocks the water from draining down the downspouts.

If you forgot to check and clean it, the water will freeze-up during winter and damage your gutters. Having a competent handyman inspect your downspouts and gutters before the temperatures get really freezy will save you a lot of trouble, and money too.

3. Update / Install New Insulation

Naturally, the heated air that we have in our homes during the winter season flows upward. So if our roof and attic are inadequately insulated, the air eventually will escape.

Investing for the update or installation of new insulation in your attic sounds like a good idea. Insulation on your roof also prevents ice dams from forming, as it normally forms when the roof has uneven temperatures, causing the melted snow to refreeze before it drains in the gutters.

It’s important to have a qualified pro assess the condition of your insulation so you can avoid sky-high electricity bills and damaged roof in the winter season.

5. Larger Home Improvement Projects

Of course, it is possible that larger home improvements are needed and is necessary for your home. This can be roof replacements due to leaks, or the most common improvement being done before winter, replacing the windows to enhance energy efficiency.

Bottom Line: Plan and Prepare

The key to your home surviving the bitterly cold winter lies on two things – Planning and Preparation. In case you need some help in doing any of the home improvement tips for winter mentioned above, don’t hesitate to give our expert contractors a call.

While you’re engrossed in the holidays, let vancouvercontractor.ca do the hard work for you. Find the right, experienced, and reliable contractor conveniently in this site.