Weather Winter Storms in Your Harbor Country Home!

It’s a beautiful time of year in Harbor Country as we see snow falling and look out over the undisturbed white blanket that seems to wrap up nature in a peaceful setting. And, while many of us love the snow and the activities of the winter season, it’s important to remember the impact that these conditions can have on your Harbor Country home.

As a team of experienced Harbor Country Real Estate agents and property advisors here at Shoreline Property Advisors, our goal is to provide the top Harbor Country Real Estate market information, as well as tips for your Harbor Country home and lifestyle. Today, we wanted to take a few minutes to talk about ways to ensure your Harbor Country home can weather any winter storm that comes our way!

1. Protect your roof- Preventing snow from piling up on your Harbor Country home’s roof can keep your roof from collapsing and costing thousands of dollars in damage. Most roof can support about 20 pounds per square foot, which is about 4 feet of new snow before becoming distressed. However, you don’t want to wait until that happens to do something about it. Using a roof rake with an extra long handle after a snow storm will keep the distress on your roof to a minimum and will protect against collapses.

2. Prevent ice dams- While hanging icicles may look nice, these can be a sign that you have ice dams building up under your roof. This happens when heat from inside your house causes water to melt in the middle of your roof and then refreeze near the edges, creating a dam that can lead to leaks in your roof and damage your ceilings, walls and roof. To prevent this, keep your attic no more than 5 to 10 degrees warmer than outside temperatures which can be done by cracking a window in your attic.

3. Bundle up your pipes- To prevent pipes from freezing (one of the most common insurance claims in the winter), wrap attic, basement and crawl-space pipes in insulation, which costs as little as $1 per six feet. You can also open kitchen and bathroom cabinets to allow warm air to flow around the pipes, and let water drip slowly from faucets.

4. Do some quick maintenance- There are a few minor things you can do to keep issues at bay during the winter months. Keep trees trimmed, clean gutters and downspouts, and install weather stripping to seal drafty windows and doors. If you have extra time, make sure your landscaping is graded so runoff from rain or melting snow moves away from the foundation.

5. Keep an emergency kit in your home- Being fully prepared in case of a power outage or being snowed in is something you can do with an emergency home kit. The Red Cross recommends stocking an emergency preparedness kit with basic supplies, including a three-day supply of food and water for each person in your household, flashlights, extra batteries, a weather radio, a first aid kit, and a seven-day supply of medications and medical supplies. Don't forget to have extra food and supplies for your pets! Also keep printouts of your insurance and emergency information (so you're not dependent on a computer if the electricity is knocked out), as well as cash on hand.

6. Install a home generator- A lot can go wrong when your electricity goes out and having a home generator can prevent things like pipes freezing, losing light and heat and much more. Whether you choose an automatic generator or a portable generator, make sure they are properly installed by a professional and that you read all safety information before using.

7. Stay warm safely- Carbon monoxide poisoning can be one of the largest winter dangers in a home. This is caused by improper ventilation of furnaces, generators, charcoal-burning or propane-burning devices, or wood-burning stoves. Have a carbon monoxide detector on all floors of your home. If you have a chimney in your Harbor Country home, be sure to have your chimney cleaned every year to avoid flammable creosote buildup, buy a sturdy screen to keep sparks in the fireplace, and dispose of ashes in a metal container.

We hope you’re able to enjoy getting out in Harbor Country for some of the fun winter activities, or take the opportunity to soak in the warmth and comfort of your Harbor Country home. These tips will help ensure that you can rest at ease this winter knowing your home is in great condition and can stand up to winter in Harbor Country.

If you have questions about your Harbor Country home or are interested in learning more about living in Harbor Country; please contact us today! We would love to talk with you about this beautiful Lake Michigan location.