Calgary winters can be hard on a home. Freezing temperatures, snow, ice, wind, and the occasional Chinook can all create opportunities for problems if your home isn’t prepared.
The good news is that most winter maintenance is pretty simple. A little preparation now can help prevent expensive repairs later, improve your home’s efficiency, and keep things more comfortable throughout the winter.
Here are some of the things I’d recommend checking before the temperatures really start to drop.
Start With Your Heating System
Your furnace is about to become one of the hardest-working systems in your home, so it’s worth making sure it’s ready.
If you haven’t had your furnace inspected recently, fall is a good time to have it checked by a professional. It’s much better to find a problem before you need your furnace running constantly.
Also:
Replace or clean your furnace filter regularly.
Make sure vents and registers aren’t blocked by furniture or other items.
Check that your thermostat is working properly.
Consider a programmable or smart thermostat if you don’t already have one.
Make sure your humidifier is clean and working properly.
A clean filter and unobstructed vents can help your furnace operate more efficiently, while keeping humidity at a comfortable level can make your home feel warmer without necessarily turning up the heat.
Check Your Windows and Doors for Drafts
If you can feel cold air coming through your windows or exterior doors, your furnace is essentially working harder to heat the outdoors.
Check around window frames and doors for noticeable drafts. Weatherstripping and caulking are relatively inexpensive ways to seal smaller gaps.
Don’t forget about your exterior doors. A door sweep can help prevent cold air from coming underneath the door and is an easy upgrade that can make a noticeable difference.
Don't Forget Your Hose Bibs
This is one of the easiest things to overlook and one of the things that can cause some serious damage.
Before freezing temperatures arrive, disconnect all garden hoses and shut off the interior valve supplying your exterior hose bibs. Open the outside tap and allow any remaining water to drain.
If your system has a bleed valve, open it as well to make sure the line is properly drained.
Why does this matter? Water expands when it freezes, and water left inside the line can cause pipes to crack. You may not discover the problem until spring when the line is used again and the water starts leaking inside your walls.
A few minutes of prevention can potentially save you a very expensive repair.
Keep an Eye on Humidity
Winter air in Calgary can get very dry, but too much humidity inside your home can create its own problems.
If you're noticing regular condensation on your windows, it may be a sign that humidity levels are too high. Over time, excessive moisture can contribute to mold, damaged window frames and other moisture-related issues.
A basic hygrometer can help you keep an eye on humidity levels. If needed, use bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans or a dehumidifier to help manage moisture.
Check Your Plumbing
Winter is a good reminder to make sure you know where your home's main water shut-off valve is and that it actually works.
Turn your shut-off valves occasionally to make sure they haven't seized. If you ever have a major plumbing leak, being able to quickly shut off the water can make a huge difference in the amount of damage.
It's also worth checking exposed plumbing in colder areas of your home, such as an unfinished basement, garage or other unheated space. Pipe insulation is inexpensive and can help protect against freezing.
For plumbing fixtures that aren't used very often, run some water every few weeks to keep the drain traps from drying out.
Check Your Basement Floor Drain
While you're checking your plumbing, take a look at your basement floor drain.
The drain trap needs to contain water to prevent sewer gases from entering your home. If it has dried out, simply pour some water down the drain to refill the trap.
It's a small maintenance item that's easy to forget.
Clean Your Dryer Vent
Don't skip this one.
Cleaning the lint trap after every load is important, but it's also worth checking the dryer vent itself.
Lint can build up inside the vent over time, restricting airflow and causing your dryer to work harder. It can also create a serious fire hazard.
If your clothes are taking longer than usual to dry, the dryer feels unusually hot, or you can't remember the last time the vent was cleaned, it's probably time.
A proper vent cleaning before winter can improve airflow, help your dryer run more efficiently and reduce a potential fire risk.
Check Your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace batteries as needed.
Make sure you have working detectors on every level of your home and near sleeping areas.
Carbon monoxide is particularly important during the winter months when furnaces and other fuel-burning appliances are running regularly. It's colourless and odourless, so a working detector is one of the simplest ways to add another layer of protection for your home.
Get Your Roof and Gutters Ready
Before the snow arrives, take a look at your roof and gutters.
Check for:
Missing or damaged shingles
Damaged flashing around vents and chimneys
Excessive wear or granule loss
Leaves and debris in your gutters
Downspouts that aren't directing water away from your foundation
Keeping your gutters clear helps water drain properly when snow and ice melt. Make sure your downspouts direct water several feet away from your foundation.
Calgary's Chinooks can make this especially important. Snow and ice can melt quickly, and clogged gutters can leave that water with nowhere to go.
Take a Look at Your Attic
Your attic plays a big role in how comfortable and efficient your home is during the winter.
Check for adequate insulation, gaps and areas where warm air may be escaping. If your insulation is compressed, thin or uneven, it may be worth having it assessed.
Also make sure your attic ventilation is working properly. Insulation and ventilation work together, and both are important for managing heat and moisture.
If you're dealing with high heating bills, uneven temperatures or ice buildup on your roof, your attic is one area worth investigating.
Have Your Fireplace and Chimney Checked
If you have a wood-burning fireplace, make sure your chimney and fireplace are ready before you start using them regularly.
A professional inspection can identify things like creosote buildup, blockages or other issues that could create a fire hazard.
When using your fireplace, burn properly seasoned wood, keep flammable materials away from the area and make sure you have a working fire extinguisher nearby.
A fireplace can be one of the best parts of a Calgary winter, but it's also something where safety should come first.
Prepare for a Winter Storm
Calgary weather can change quickly.
It's worth keeping some basic emergency supplies at home in case a major storm causes power outages or makes travel difficult.
Consider having:
Bottled water
Non-perishable food
Flashlights and extra batteries
First aid supplies
Necessary medications
Blankets and warm clothing
Portable phone chargers
Basic emergency supplies
You don't necessarily need to prepare for a week-long disaster, but having enough supplies to get through a few days can make a big difference if the power goes out or roads become difficult to travel.
Don't Forget the Outside of Your Home
Before winter really settles in, take a walk around the exterior of your home.
Clean up leaves and debris, trim branches that could become a problem during a heavy snowstorm and make sure outdoor furniture and other items are secured.
For your lawn and garden, remove excess leaves and consider adding mulch around plants that need additional protection from the cold.
Also make sure any outdoor electrical cords, plugs and seasonal lighting are in good condition and rated for outdoor use.
A Few Minutes Now Can Save You Later
Winterizing your home doesn't have to mean spending thousands of dollars or tackling a huge list of projects.
A lot of it comes down to simple preventative maintenance: cleaning your gutters, changing your furnace filter, sealing drafts, draining your hose bibs and checking your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
The goal isn't to make your home perfect. It's to catch the small things before they turn into bigger and more expensive problems.
Save this checklist and work through it before the really cold weather arrives. Your future self, and your home, will thank you.
