Home Maintenance Tips – Is Your Home Ready for a Snowstorm?

In the mid-Atlantic region, the fall season is upon us which means that winter is just around the corner.  As a design build contractor specializing in remodeling, we often help our clients with advice on protecting their largest investment – their home. 

We renovate homes in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC and we see first hand the damage these dangerous storms can cause if you are unprepared. With a long, cold winter ahead of us, consider the following home maintenance tips to ensure the safety of your home and family.

• Bring any outdoor furniture inside (unless it is extremely durable). You can store it in your garage, basement or storage shed.
• Remove any outdoor items that can be blown around by the wind and may possibly damage your house.
• Consider whether any dead trees might be a hazard to your house if they were to fall. You may want to have them removed by a professional tree service.
• Make sure that you have flashlights, with extra batteries, and candles to provide light during a power failure.
• Have a battery-operated radio in the house.
• Keep food in the house that you can prepare without electricity. Note that your needs will vary depending on the type of appliances you have (gas or electric).
• Keep some extra bottles of drinking water on hand.
• If you have a well with an electric pump, prepare some tubs of water for cleaning and toilet flushing.
• Stock up on sand for dealing with slippery driveways and sidewalks.
• Make sure that you have good snow shovels ready.
• Arrange in advance for snow-plowing service – it is very difficult to book a snow-plowing service the day after a big snowstorm.
• Keep a space heater and fuel in the garage if you live in a particularly cold area – especially if you have electrical heat in the house.
• If you have a tank where you store fuel (i.e. propane or oil) check to make sure you have a sufficient supply before the storm arrives.