As with many of those seemingly small maintenance issues, whether it be cleaning out gutters or fixing a leaky roof, the cost of putting mundane tasks in the too hard basket for too long can soon add up.
Here are the top six tips on how to weatherproof your home for winter:
1. Clear your drains and gutters
Don’t wait until the first cold snap before ridding your drains and gutters of dirt and debris.
Blocked gutters and drains can back up and cause water to overflow, which can lead to widespread water damage and prove to be hugely expensive. It’s worth investing in gutter guards to prevent leaves from piling up.
2. Assess your roof for leaks
We advise home owners to regularly have a professional assess their roof for leaks. Roofs need to be watertight or they will lose heat during winter.
You have to check your roof to make sure it is not leaking, because if water gets in, it can create dampness at the very least. If your roof is leaking it can also lead to rotten timbers and nobody wants their roof collapsing in heavy winds and storms over winter.
3. Ensure your home is well insulated
Your home will not hold the weather at bay during winter if it is not well insulated. We recommend that it’s important to restrict and to control the moisture levels in a property by ensuring the roof is well insulated and ventilated. If the roof is not insulated your home will be too hot in summer and too cold in winter.
4. Check your house for signs of mold
Wintery weather can contribute to problems with mold and rising damp. We recommend looking for mold in areas such as the bathroom ceiling or walk-in wardrobe – places that are typically dark and dank.
If mold gets into the gyprock you might have to replace a ceiling. You need to get someone in to assess the problem and improve the ventilation before the problem gets worse.
5. Improve sub-floor ventilation
Sub-floor areas with a lot of moisture and mold can lead to termites and rotten timber.
The joists and bearings can rot with the moisture. If you don’t take care of sub-floor ventilation then mold problems will get worse during winter when things tend to stay damp for longer.
We advise checking for signs of water entering a house. If there is water sitting inside the house it can go right through the cavity of the walls and damage the structure of the house. Mold problems require expert attention.
6. Seal large gaps in your windows and doors
It’s important to seal large gaps around window and doorframes.
Sealing large gaps helps prevent the water coming in and ensures the heat is not escaping. If your windows or doors aren’t sealed this will add to the deterioration and make it a costly problem to fix.
