There's a moment every fall when you look up at the mountains and see the first dusting of white. That's your reminder. Winter in the West Kootenays is beautiful, but it's hard on houses.
A weekend or two of fall maintenance can save you thousands in repairs and a lot of stress in January. Here's the checklist we share with our clients every year.
Outside the house
1. Clean the gutters and downspouts. Once the leaves are down, clear everything out. Blocked gutters overflow, soak your foundation and help create ice dams on the roof. Make sure downspouts carry water at least a metre or two away from the house.
2. Check the roof. From the ground, with binoculars, look for missing or lifted shingles, loose metal panels, and damaged flashing around chimneys and vents. Snow sitting on a weak spot all winter turns a small problem into a big leak.
3. Shut off and drain outdoor taps. Turn off the interior shut-off valve for each hose bib, then open the outside tap to drain it. Disconnect and store your hoses. This one step prevents a lot of burst pipes.
4. Seal the gaps. Walk around the house and look for cracked caulking around windows, doors and where pipes or wires enter the walls. Mice are looking for a warm place to spend the winter too.
5. Clear the yard. Trim branches that hang over the roof or power lines. Heavy wet snow brings down a lot of limbs here. Move firewood away from the house, and keep it off the deck.
6. Plan for snow. Service the snowblower, buy ice melt or traction grit, and mark the edges of your driveway with stakes so you or your plow contractor can see them. If you hire snow removal, book now. The good contractors fill up fast.
Inside the house
7. Service your heating system. Have your furnace, boiler or heat pump inspected and cleaned. Change the filter. If you heat with wood, get the chimney swept and inspected by a WETT-certified professional before you light the first big fire.
8. Test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Replace batteries and check expiry dates. Most smoke alarms need replacing every 10 years. If you have any fuel-burning appliance or an attached garage, you need CO alarms.
9. Check the attic. Look for signs of moisture, daylight peeking through, or insulation that's been flattened or moved. Good insulation and ventilation are your best defence against ice dams.
10. Test the sump pump. If you have one, pour a bucket of water into the pit and make sure it kicks on. Fall rains and spring melt are when you'll need it most.
11. Know where your water shut-off is. Every person in the house should know where the main water valve is and how to turn it off. If a pipe bursts at 2 a.m., those minutes matter.
12. Start a radon test. Fall and winter are the best times to test, because homes are closed up and levels are usually highest. Long-term tests run for at least 91 days.
Bonus: get your paperwork in order
While you're at it, take a few minutes for the boring-but-important stuff:
- Review your home insurance and make sure your coverage matches the current cost to rebuild.
- Keep receipts for any work you do. They're valuable when it's time to sell.
- Take photos of each room for your insurance records.
Why this matters if you're selling
If you're planning to list in the spring, fall maintenance is your head start. Buyers and home inspectors notice clean gutters, a well-maintained furnace and a dry basement. A home that's clearly been cared for sells with more confidence and fewer renegotiations.
Why it matters if you just bought
If this is your first winter in a Kootenay home, welcome! It's a good idea to walk through this list with your home inspection report in hand. Your inspector likely flagged a few items worth tackling before the snow.
Have a question about your home or thinking about a move in the new year? We're always happy to share local trades we trust or talk through your plans. Connect with us here.
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