Winter Prep Home Maintenance Tasks

With the forecast set to settle into the 40s, it’s time to talk about getting our homes ready for the cold before the thermometer drops below freezing. After all, there is nothing worse than not being ready when the first proper snowfall comes our way. So without further ado, here are my top five tips for pre-winter preparation at home:

Take a picture of your roof.

We’ll start with an easy one. Go outside and snap a photo of your roof from each direction. Wondering why? When we get a massive snowfall, I usually recommend that people get their roofs shoveled. Removing the snow helps to reduce the risk of leaks and other damage to your home. But when the snow is very deep, it’s impossible to see the pipes, skylights, and other parts and pieces that stick up out of the roof. Keeping a picture of the clean surface is a great way to minimize the probability of an accident when you’re trying to prevent damage in the first place.

Stake the driveway.

Speaking of damage prevention, stop by the local hardware store and get some property markers. They are generally made of wood or metal and are sometimes painted in a fluorescent color. Use the markers to create an outline around your driveway. Just like your roof, when a blanket of snow hits, it’s impossible for a removalist to see where the driveway ends and where your lawn begins. Creating that parameter will help the plow truck driver know where to go, which should assist in keeping your curbs and grass intact.

Give the furnace a checkup.

Don’t wait until you really need heat to make sure that everything is in working order. Clean or replace your HVAC filters and check the temperature gauge to make sure you can power up and down with no problems. If you haven’t already, now is definitely time to remove those window A/C units and check and clean those filters too. While you’re at it, make sure your carbon monoxide detectors are working and change the batteries if necessary.

Seal up the air holes.

I get calls all winter long from people who are wondering why their house is so drafty. If you have an attic hatch, install an insulated box to prevent the cold air from coming down into your living space. Check all your windows and doors for gaps and use weatherstripping, foam, or insulation to seal them tight. If you have a fireplace that you don’t use, get that covered too. Any passageways from the inside to the outside can act as wind tunnels when the frigid winter air comes calling.

Clean those gutters.

If your gutters are full of autumn leaves and debris, it will prevent winter water from flowing off the roof and down away from the foundation. If water has nowhere to go, it will refreeze in your gutters and at the base of your roof, resulting in dangerous ice dams and potential leaks. If you don’t want to do this dirty job yourself, schedule a pro to handle it for you. It will be worth it.

If you do just these five things, you’ll be in much better shape when the wicked weather decides to settle in. Plus it’s much more pleasant to get these jobs out of the way before it’s too cold and snowy to bother. Good luck and as always, don’t be afraid to reach out if you need help or advice. Happy Thanksgiving!

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Leaks Around the Chimney? Blame it on the Squirrels

I received a question from a reader that I wanted to share with you. She asked: 

Dear Bob, I've had some leaking around my chimney. I thought this didn’t seem very strange considering all the snow we’ve had, but when we went to take a look at it, we noticed lots of small holes around the flashing. What would be the cause of this? - Dot B.

Dot, this is a great question and I have received so many calls about it recently so you’re not alone. Believe it or not, the culprit of the small holes around your chimney flashing is squirrels. Flashing is often made of lead, which is a soft metal that squirrels feast on because it supposedly has a sweet taste. More practically, it also helps our rodent friends gnaw down and control their fast-growing teeth. Then, of course, there is the warmth that is escaping from your attic which makes for a pretty cozy place to spend these cold winter days.

Of course, we all know that lead is poisonous, so squirrels chomping down on your flashing is very likely going to kill them in addition to opening up your roof to potential leaks. Flashing bridges the gap between the chimney and your roof, creating a watertight barrier. If it’s damaged, water can easily get into the attic and eventually down into the home. So I’d suggest dealing with the problem right away before it becomes more costly and complicated.

One simple DIY method is to cover the flashing with the taste that squirrels hate the most - capsaicin, the active ingredient in cayenne pepper. You can mix pepper sauce or powder with water and spray it on the affected areas which will deter them in the short term. Of course, a cheap and easy solution like this also has its drawbacks, and in this case, you’ll be pulling out the ladder again every time it rains or snows. 

You can also try deterring the squirrels from your roof by cutting back the branches and trees that make it easily accessible to them. Also, if food is more readily available, they are going to follow the path of least resistance. So fill up those wildlife feeders and keep them at a distance from your house.

If the pests persist, I recommend getting a professional to cover your current flashing with heavy duty copper which is neither attractive nor penetrable. Investing in one of these simple solutions will save both your home and your furry friends from an untimely demise.

Bob O'Donnell is the owner of O'Donnell Bros, Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro”. All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O'Donnell Bros, Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.