It’s the summertime, and after the trying year the country has had, all you want to do is get outdoors and have fun. You want to spend time with family, travel, and participate in activities that were once prohibited during the pandemic. While letting your hair down and enjoying the season is beneficial, it won’t be long before the colder months start creeping in. The last thing you want is to retreat to your home for shelter only to discover a ton of issues that make surviving the winter more expensive and uncomfortable. 

As the summer starts winding down, homeowners are encouraged to consider their houses and the necessary improvements that need to take place before the cold weather approaches. Here is a look at some projects you don’t want to overlook. 

Roof And Gutter Repairs

With the winter comes a lot of rain and snowstorms. A house with a damaged roof in the colder months can cause a world of trouble. The water can seep into your home, causing leaks, water damage, mold, infestations, and so much more. If the gutter system isn’t running efficiently, you’ll also have foundational issues as the water creates puddles around your property. Let’s not forget, a hole in the roof means that cold air can quickly enter the home, causing you to crank up the heat and waste money. 

As roofing can be a dangerous home improvement task to tackle yourself, it’s best to hire an expert to take care of any maintenance or repairs for you. 

Weatherizing And Insulation

As properties age, their structure and integrity weaken. You’ll start to notice things like cracks and holes around the windows and doors or drafts coming from your attic or basement. Unfortunately, this creates several obstacles for homeowners. For starters, the holes and cracks provide insects and rodents with easy access to your home for the winter. Second, the inefficiency will inadvertently lead to higher energy bills. 

Before the cold weather arrives, you should weatherize your home to increase its efficiency. You can fill small cracks and holes with caulk, apply weather strips around doors and windows, and even hire a company that specializes in Phoenix insulation installation to secure your attic and basement. That way, the warm air stays in, and cold air and pests stay out. 

Clean The Carpets

All summer long, you and your family have been running in and out of the house. This heavy traffic exposes your carpets to a lot more wear and tear, dirt, debris, allergens, and other contaminants. When the cold weather arrives, you and your loved ones will ultimately be stuck indoors with all these overlooked dangers. It can weaken your immune system, cause respiratory issues, and make being indoors a lot more uncomfortable. 

So, before the winter arrives, it’s a good idea to have your carpets professionally cleaned. Professional carpet cleaners have steamers, high-quality cleaners, and other equipment to ensure that they remove the hidden dangers from your floors so that you and your family can breathe easy this winter. 

Tend To The Trees

If you have trees in your front or backyard, you don’t want to wait until the last minute to take care of them. Aged trees can easily break and fall during heavy rain or snowstorms, leading to the potential for a severe accident. Someone could get hurt, or your property could be damaged. Ideally, you want to hire a professional landscaper or arborist to evaluate the trees before the cold weather approaches. If there are branches that need to be trimmed or dying trees that need to come down, it’s best to handle this before something more serious happens. 

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to enjoy the summertime and be carefree for a while, but you don’t want to get caught in the colder months unprepared. Take the time now to ensure that your home is healthy, safe, and secure so that when you’re ready to take shelter, you and your family can do so comfortably.