Cincinnati winter home maintenance and repair is a critical part of responsible home ownership. With one of the coldest spells in Cincinnati history fresh in everyone’s mind, it’s important to know what to do to protect your home when cold weather and winter storms strike.
And, perhaps more importantly, what to do in the unfortunate event that you do notice a problem.
Winter Home Maintenance: Watch for Leaks
When rain and snow pile up in the winter months, many Cincinnati homeowners begin to notice leaks throughout their homes. Some of this can simply be due to snow or ice melt putting excessive water on areas that don’t normally see a high volume of water.
More often, leaks show their faces in the winter months due to the freezing and re-freezing in cold weather. Water can freeze in cracks in concrete, gutters, and more, causing what were previously small cracks to expand bit by bit.
The more this happens, the more water gets in. Sometimes, these leaks appear in the winter. Other times, they won’t begin to show until the rainy months of spring.
Either way, if you notice signs of water in your home or know of areas susceptible to leakage, have a craftsman perform a leak diagnosis. Stopping the leak from spreading can save thousands of dollars in water damage restoration down the road.
Keep Up with Your Gutters and Roof
Yes, we’ve already talked about leaks, but Cincinnati homeowners need to give their gutters and roof special attention.
Not only are these areas susceptible to damage due to freezing or re-freezing, but they can also experience ice dam formation.
We cover that more fully in another blog, but essentially, ice dams occur when water freezes along your roofline and gutters, causing snow melt to go into your home instead of into your gutters and downspouts.
In addition to ice dams, clogged gutters from autumn leaves can cause headaches when cold weather strikes. The debris can have a similar effect as an ice dam – water can pool in your gutters and enter your home instead of flowing through the downspout as designed.
If you’re a Cincinnati homeowner with box gutters, this can be especially critical because of those gutters becoming damaged at their seams in the winter months. Consider relining your box gutters to protect against this if you notice leaks. Watch our overview of box gutter repair to learn more.
While you’re at it, check out Master Craftsman Adam Crowell’s advice on preventing ice dams. If you’re in need of work on your gutters, including gutter cleaning, you can hail a craftsman.
Check Doors and Windows for Drafts
Most of our minds turn to energy efficiency during Cincinnati’s winter months as home heating becomes critical.
This makes it an important time to periodically check your doors and windows for drafts of cold air. This practice helps identify ways to save money and can highlight larger problem areas that may need repairs.
If you’re feeling a draft near your entry door, a simple installation of new weather stripping can do the trick.
If that doesn’t do it, realigning your door or inspecting the trim and framing for dry rot would be the logical next step. You can do this Cincinnati winter home maintenance yourself or hire a craftsman to assist with the project.
Windows typically experience more in-depth problems. If you notice a draft, try to determine what area of the window it is coming from.
This could help establish if there is wood rot along the window, damage behind the exterior siding near the window sash, or another problem.
In rare cases, windows may simply be too old to insulate well anymore and need to be replaced. Before taking that route, we recommend contacting your window installer company to check your window’s warranty.
Replacing windows can be an expensive project. At ProMaster, we want to make sure you’re doing what’s best for your home and for your wallet!
If your home still does not heat well, it could be time to evaluate the insulation in your home, particularly in the attic as snow and ice can sit on your roof for days following a storm.
If you have any questions about these Cincinnati winter home maintenance items, contact ProMaster today! Call (513) 322-2914 or email us at [email protected].
Our multi-disciplined, highly skilled craftsmen can handle all these tasks and more in your home. In one visit, you’ll receive an estimate for each of your projects and the opportunity to meet in person with the craftsman who will be leading your job.
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