Preparing for Winter in Vancouver, BC

Vancouver winters are rainy and wet, making the coldest months seem dreary in comparison with the rest of the year. Although it’s still relatively warm right now, the winter will be coming up quickly. Here are some things that you can do around the house and in the yard before the rainy season to ensure that you get through it smoothly.

• Clear out your front and back yard. Windy winter storms can easily take garbage cans, lawn chairs and small grills for a tumble, causing damage to the items themselves, as well as to cars and other valuables. Find room in your garage, shed or other storage space for yard items until spring.
• Check any caulk around your windows and doors. If it looks dried out or cracked, replace it. This will keep your home leak-free throughout the rainy season.
• Take a walk on your roof to check for signs of wear and damage. Before winter’s arrival is the time to have your roof repaired or replaced; you’ll be thankful later when the rain isn’t falling indoors!
• Spend a few hours clearing out your gutters. When they get clogged with leaves and other debris, water can pool and overflow, causing paint damage or leakage. Ensure that water can flow easily.
• Trim branches that are dangling precariously. A few strong wind gusts can knock brittle branches onto your roof or into a window. If you can’t reach the branches safely, call in the professionals now, before winter wind and rain begins.
• Check your first aid and emergency kit. In the event of a power outage, you should have canned goods, bottled water and flashlights with batteries. Fall is a good time to check your supply, rotating out items that may have expired and replacing them with new ones.
• Drain some of the water out of your swimming pool, if you have one. This can help prevent overflow, which in turn prevents chlorine damage to your grass.

Make sure that they’re properly weather-proofed with insulation. Also, be sure that you know where the shutoff valves are located; in the event of a frozen pipe, immediately shutting off the water supply can save many dollars and much time.

While those in the Vancouver are usually spared the heavy snowfalls and blizzards that plague others this time of year, you still should take a weekend or two in the early fall to winterize your home in preparation for the rainy season. Remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure; spending some time now on routine home maintenance can help you have a cozy and uneventful winter.

Author Resource: Michelle Kulas writes about Preparing for Winter in Vancouver, BC, for Unique Storage and Organizers. Unique Storage and Organizers is an affordable and reliable Company for Custom Closet Vancover BC.