Moving to Utah means you’ll have access to some of the greatest snow on Earth. Whether you’re an avid skier or snowboarding enthusiast, love riding snowmobiles, or are picking up snowshoeing, Utah is the perfect place for these activities. However, as a new homeowner, there are a few essential maintenance tasks to take care of before the snow arrives.
These essential maintenance tasks aren’t just crucial for maintaining your comfort; they can help you protect your new property against harmful winter weather damage. But what exactly does this home maintenance look like? Having a full understanding before winter arrives can make a world of difference.
If you’ve recently purchased a new home in Utah and want to learn more about what essential maintenance tasks you should complete before it snows, keep reading.
1. Clean Gutters and Downspouts
Before snow, or any other inclement precipitation, arrives, one of the first essential maintenance tasks you should complete is gutter and downspout cleaning. When your gutters and downspouts are dirty or full of organic debris, this can redirect heavy rainwater and melting snow toward your roofing and vinyl siding, leading to the potential for leaks and mold growth.
Instead of dealing with leaks and water infiltration during the winter months, it is best to schedule professional gutter and downspout cleaning. These cleanings will address this buildup, ensuring these structures are completely free of any debris. Once cleaned, you can trust that precipitation will flow freely from your roof to the appropriate drains.
2. Winterize Outdoor Faucets
Although you may have relied on hoses and spigots throughout the summer months, an essential maintenance task before winter arrives is putting all of this away and winterizing your outdoor faucets. With immediate, easy access to your home’s plumbing, these faucets open the door to potential cracks and damage that can cause expensive water damage.
If you want to ensure you’re keeping your home safe from avoidable water damage, discontent your garden hose, drain spigots, and shut off interior water valves that supply outdoor water sources. This essential maintenance will ensure you’re cutting off this common source of home damage during Northern Utah’s freezing winters.
3. Inspect Your Roof
Your roof acts as a catch-all against the harshest weather conditions, especially during Northern Utah’s harsh winters. Whether you’re dealing with hail, freezing temperatures, or heavy snowfall, a properly prepared roof can protect the structural integrity of your home. That’s why it’s important to add a roof inspection to your upcoming essential maintenance list.
While you can perform a visual inspection, it is best to schedule with a trusted local company for this task. Professional roofing teams can perform a more thorough inspection and catch the earliest signs of damage, allowing you to make essential repairs before heavy snowfall, rain, and wind can lead to even more extensive home damage.
4. Service Your HVAC System
When you think of the essential maintenance tasks to get done before snow arrives, you probably think about prepping the exterior of your home. However, this isn’t the only part of your property that needs your attention. This time of year is also the ideal time to consider paying a bit of extra attention to your home’s HVAC system.
Early fall is the perfect time to schedule professional HVAC maintenance. You may want to replace your furnace filters, and schedule any essential system replacements before freezing temperatures arrive. With this essential pre-winter task, you can ensure your home is capable of keeping you warm throughout the coldest months of the year.
5. Seal Windows and Doors
In addition to turning your attention to your HVAC system before winter arrives, it may also be a good time to take a look at your home’s windows and doors. Older homes may have windows and doors with failing seals. While this isn’t an uncommon problem, it is essential that you address it before cold weather rolls into town.
Before the first snow, you should consider replacing old weatherstripping along your doorways and windows. It is also important to apply caulk wherever necessary. This essential maintenance task will help improve indoor comfort during inclement winter weather and reduce heat loss, reducing your reliance on your home’s HVAC system.
6. Prepare Your Yard and Irrigation System
As the fall months come to an end, it is also a good idea to take a walk through your yard to ensure it is adequately prepared for upcoming weather conditions. Take time to put your outdoor furniture away and remove any dead branches on trees and shrubs that may otherwise break under the weight of heavy snowfall.
Additionally, it is essential that you winterize your sprinkler system. That essential maintenance task will help you avoid frozen sprinkler tubing and other damage to the system. By taking the steps to prepare your irrigation system for upcoming winter weather, you can avoid the high cost of making repairs when spring arrives.
7. Check Your Snow Removal Equipment
The final step in your essential maintenance before winter arrives as a new homeowner is double-checking the preparedness of your snow removal equipment. The easiest way to do this is to ensure you have adequate ice melt before snow begins to fall, and that you purchase some if you are running low.
Additionally, if you’re new to the area, it is time to consider whether you want a snow shovel or a larger snow blower. In a state that receives regular snowfall year after year, both tools will come in handy. Based on your budget, it is essential that you have one of these on hand to allow for prompt snow removal after a storm.
Protect Your New Property with These Essential Maintenance Tasks
At Premier Utah Real Estate, our team wants new homeowners in Utah to feel confident in their ability to keep their properties looking and performing their best. When you partner with our team, you can trust that we can provide you with essential maintenance advice to keep your home safe, especially if you’re new to the state or area. With our long history as the most reliable real estate team in the Tooele area, you can trust that we’re the right partner for your upcoming home buying process as well.
If you would like to learn more about our team and whether we’re the right choice for your family, don’t hesitate to reach out to us today.
Follow Us