Fall is officially here, which means now is the time to tackle a few important projects before the cold weather hits! In our most recent blog post, we outline the top 6 home projects that will keep your home warm and dry for the colder season ahead.
1. Repair or Replace Your Roof
The roof of your house is the first line of defense from destructive weather ruch as rain, snow, sleet, hail, and wind. Being exposed to these elements on a constant basis contributes to roof decay, deterioration, and leakage.
Aside the difficulty of working around snow and ice, it’s not advised to replace or repair your roof during the winter months. Laying asphalt shingles needs to be done at temperatures between 40 and 85 degrees for the adhesive sealant to activate. If your roof is in need of maintenance, now is the time to fix these issues before the winter season arrives.
2. Replace of Refresh Your Deck
A deck is only as good as its condition. If the wood is splintering, the finish is faded, or the rails are shaky, it may be time resurface or replace your deck. At Cinergy Homes & Remodeling, we use Trex decking products, which is a durable composite material made of 95% recycled products. Say goodbye to cumbersome maintenance for wood decks. Trex products are fade, stain, crack, rot, mold, and termite resistant. Designed with lasting beauty, incredible durability and easy maintenance, there’s no compromising with high-performance composite decking.
If your deck is in good structural shape but simply needs a refresh, here are a few ways to protect your wood deck for winter:
- Check for loose nails and screws. Tighten or replace fasteners as needed.
- Power wash the deck and add a water-repelling stain to protect from melting ice and snow.
- Inspect for cracks or areas that are splintering. Fill cracks with epoxy wood filler.
3. Clean Your Gutters and Downspouts
Cleaning and repairing gutters is not the most rewarding home maintenance tasks, but it’s important to address these areas now to prevent damaging ice dams during the winter. Clean out your gutters by removing leaves, twigs and other debris that is preventing proper drainage. Then flush your gutters with water, inspect the joints, and tighten the brackets if necessary.
4. Replace Old Windows
Damaged and poorly insulated windows cause discomfort in your home during the winter with unrelenting cold drafts. Old windows can also negatively take a big hit on your energy bill. If you have single-pane windows, consider replacing them with multi-pane glass windows. You can also upgrade your windows to that have built-in UV protection and noise cancellation.
We use Pella’s InsulShield® Low-E Insulating Glass Collection for most of our window replacement projects, which offers efficient and ENERGY STAR choices designed for specific climates.
5. Replace Old Siding
Replacing your siding is an important step to winterize your home. Worn siding replaced with new, sealed cladding and house wrap may significantly help drop your heating bill. Even better, rigid insulation will dramatically improve the energy efficiency of your home.
There is still time to replace your siding! It’s best to install before temps fall below 50 degrees, so give us a call today to get your FREE estimate and project scheduled.
6. Inspect Your Attic
Make sure your attic ventilation is operating properly. Proper ventilation helps control temperatures and limit moisture, helping to prevent damage and ice dams as well as lengthen the life of your roof. Check out Cinergy Homes & Remodeling’s blog post on what areas needs to be repaired or addressed in your attic to prevent ice dams.
Need assistance getting a few of these fall projects checked off the list? Our schedule is filling up quickly, so give us a call today!