Here are a couple useful tips from Steve Otts at Ottawa Valley Home Inspection Ltd.
Fall is the time to ensure that your house is ready for the oncoming winter. To get ready for the season of snow, start with the basics. Remove all the items from the yard (tables, chairs, kids toys, etc) and stow them away in your garage or shed. Drain and remove all garden hoses. Turn off the hosebibs (exterior taps) on the inside of the house and then open and drain the hosebib on the outside of the house. Even if you have the newer frost free hosebibs, it’s still a good practice to shut them off on the inside to be safe.
It is also the time to ensure that the grading slopes away from the house and that it hasn’t settled during the year. This is especially important with a new house or one that has had the yard dug up for any reason because the ground is still soft and can settle. It is quite important that the grade slope away from the house because during the spring thaw when the ground is still frozen it won’t absorb any water. Thus it will run along the surface downhill and you want it running away from your house and not towards your house and your basement.
It’s also the time to clean and inspect your rain gutters. If you have any trees around that are close to or higher than your house, you will probably need to clean the leaves out of them. This prevents a frozen blob of leaves from blocking the water flow during the spring thaw. At the same time ensure that the gutters and downspouts are securely fastened to the roof and walls.
Other items that should be done before winter are to get your annual inspection and cleaning of your gas or oil burning furnace. In addition, if you have a wood burning appliance, and use it, you should get the chimney swept.
It is also a good time to do a visual inspection of your roof, shingles and flashings. Use a good set of binoculars or hire someone to do it for you. Check all doors weather stripping and ensure it is in good useable condition and that it is not ripped or broken. Also check the caulking on the windows, you can use your binoculars to look at the second story windows.
Being prudent now before the snow comes will almost always save you headaches in the winter or spring.
Ottawa Valley Home Inspections Ltd.
Building, Septic & WETT Inspections
Covering Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec
www.ovhi.ca
613-724-0868
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