5 Things Homeowners Should Do Before Old Man Winter Leaves

Anyone else feel like drop-kicking Phil the Groundhog after he saw his shadow in February?

No doubt about it, Wisconsinites are a hardy breed!

But the sub-zero cold gets old for even the hardiest of breeds after a while. It seems like we’ve been chasing after those above-30 temps for two months now, and spring can’t come fast enough. But, wait. Even if you’re ready for spring, your home might not be.

Winter is largely a time of hibernating in our homes with not a lot of home maintenance to be done.

Of course, if you struggled with ice dams or frozen/ruptured water pipes this winter as many homeowners have, you’ve had anything but a carefree season. You’ve got our sympathy. But for the most part, for most homeowners, winter is a season of home-maintenance respite.
Phil may be lounging in his burrow for a little longer, but homeowners, it’s time for you to come out of your hibernation. Here are five important things to get done over the coming 4-6 weeks:

• Trim your trees to remove dead or loose branches. Arborists say the best time to prune is in late winter or early spring, before trees open their buds.
• Have your gutters and drains cleaned to be sure rainwater doesn’t back up and cause damage to your roof, insulation, foundation, drywall, etc.
• Have your roof checked for loose shingles, which can compromise the roof’s functionality in a rainstorm.
• Have the flashing around chimneys and skylights checked to protect against leaks.
• Make sure doors and windows are in ship-shape: screens aren’t ripped and cover the entire pane, no cracks in the glass, and good caulking around windows and weather-stripping under your doors.

The key to having a home ready for severe spring storms is to start preparing for those storms in the final 4-6 weeks of the chilly season. Impossible as it might seem at this point, the weather’s going to warm up soon. (Mother Nature can’t kick that can down the road forever!) Let us help you get your house in order before giving Old Man Winter the old heave-ho.