3 Ways to Protect Your Home from Extreme Weather

Fall is almost over, and the cold season will soon kick in! Why not prepare your home for the extreme temperatures as early as now? Here are three things you can do to keep your home safe and damage-free these upcoming months:

Clear the gutters
Fall can be one of the most pleasant weather seasons, but that doesn’t mean you can rest on your leaf piles. You know to rake your lawn, but you also have to clear your gutters of them. This’ll help keep water from freezing inside and splitting them when temps dip below freezing. Adding mesh or leaf guards can also solve the problem. While you’re up there, make sure your gutters are pitched at the right angle—between 1/16 and ⅛ inch per foot—to direct water to the downspout, and away from your home’s roof or foundation. Source: MentalFloss

Have an easy access to your main water shut off
If a bunch of junk is blocking easy access to your main water shut valve off, rearrange your basement or garage so that it will be easily accessible in the event of a plumbing emergency. Then, make sure your shut off valve is in good working order. Cranking it all the way to the right should shut off all water to the house. If it’s rusted open or only closes partially, replace the valve immediately.

Go a step further, and make sure everyone in your house knows where the shut off valve is located and how to use it to turn off the water. Source: TheSpruce

Keep the attic well-ventilated
In addition to clogged gutters, a warm attic can contribute to ice dam damage by causing snow to melt in the middle of your roof and drain toward the gutters where it may refreeze. To keep your attic sufficiently cool, make sure it’s properly ventilated and seal any cracks or holes in your ceiling and around fixtures so that household heat doesn’t seep into the attic. It’s also a good idea to insulate the attic floor to keep heat inside your home and outside of the attic. Source: AHS

Let us check your roof and gutters before the snow starts falling. Call us!

 

Contact:
Kerrisdale Roofing & Drains
8296 Ross St, Vancouver, BC V5X 4C6
(604) 360-2114