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Guest Post: 6 Ways to Prepare Your Asheville Home for Winter

By: Lisa Roberts, Moving Experts US

A house covered in snow.

Asheville, NC, is a beautiful city nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountain and surrounded by the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Cherokee Indian Reservation. In the past few years, Asheville has been experiencing prolonged and below-freezing winters. So, as the temperature is slowly decreasing in North Carolina, it's crucial to prepare your home for the winter. And if the previous winter is any indicator, you'll have to weather severe cold. Therefore, in this article, we're going to talk about 6 ways to prepare your Asheville home for winter, so you get to enjoy upcoming holidays properly. Grab yourself a hot beverage, and let's begin!

#1 Tune-up Your HVAC System 

Your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system is the essential temperature regulator in your home. During this bitterly cold weather in Asheville, NC, it is critical that your heating system works. Make sure you have it examined and repaired so that your family has heat when they need it. So, let's see how to maintain an HVAC system and properly prepare your Asheville home for winter:

  • Replace air filters
  • Replace filters in the furnace
  • Check for damage and leaks
  • Inspect electrical components
  • Examine and clean ducts

Of course, you can do this by yourself or have it done for $80-$100, which you will rapidly recoup in savings when your furnace is operating at optimal efficiency. By taking care of this now, you'll reduce your chances of something going wrong during the winter when repair providers will be swamped.

Burning firewood in the furnace.
Having proper heating in the winter is crucial, so make sure your HVAC system is maintained properly in time.
 

#2 Reverse Your Ceiling Fans

If you want to prepare your Asheville home for winter properly, you'll have to reverse your ceiling fans. This is a fantastic technique that few people are aware of! A switch on most ceiling fans reverses the direction of the fans. We're all aware that heat rises, right? So, rotating your fan in a clockwise manner creates an updraft, which forces your heat back down! Since you'll be keeping more heat, you'll be able to maintain your thermostat at a lower setting, which will save you money throughout the entire winter season! Additionally, this will lower the amount of stress and strain placed on your HVAC system. An amazing trick, don't you agree?

 #3 Inspect the Roof

When preparing for a harsh winter, inspecting your roof is a must! The roof is actually one of the most important stops in the house when preparing it for the winter. Here are some tasks you should complete before the cold weather hits:

  • Clean the gutters: Every autumn, when most of the leaves have fallen, you should clean your gutters. When water freezes in gutters due to leaves and debris trapped inside, the weight of the frozen water might cause your gutters to detach from the side of your house. Also, icicles may occur when snow and water collect. It's usually a good idea to clear away any leaves and trash before the arrival of snow, ice, and cold weather.
  • Fix the leaks: Look for shingles that are broken, loose, or missing, as they might leak during winter storms or from snowmelt. You can also have a home auditor inspect your roof for any air leaks that might contribute to the formation of ice dams. You should inspect and fix any cracks in the flashing seals surrounding vent stacks and chimneys.
  • Prevent ice dams: If your house had many ice dams last year, which may cause melted snow to pile up and pour into your house, take measures this year and prepare your Asheville home for winter to prevent damage.

Ice dams hanging from the roof. The roof is the most important part of the house, and you have to check everything that needs fixing up there.
 

#4 Seal Your Doors and Windows

According to experts, you should reapply exterior caulk if the gaps between siding and window or door frames are wider than a nickel. Don't forget to look at the connectors in the window and door frames as well. Silicone caulk is ideal for external usage since it does not shrink and is weather resistant. The caulking unit is budget-friendly, and you can purchase it in every local hardware store. Your home will trap heat more efficiently if it is properly sealed, keeping you cozy and your expenses minimal.

#5 Prepare Your Yard

If you live in a house, you probably have a yard. The fact is, we keep a lot of things in our yards that can't handle cold weather, let alone a severe winter. So, if you want to properly maintain the stuff in your yard during the winter, this is what you'll have to do:

  • Turn off all exterior faucets: Water in pipes that have not been emptied can freeze, causing pipes to break as the ice grows. Begin by unplugging any garden hoses and emptying any remaining water from taps.
  • Stow your mower: Fuel remaining in the mower's engine will degrade throughout the winter, "varnishing" the carburetor and making it difficult to start the engine in the springtime.
  • Sprinkle salt on your porch and steps: If ice is predicted this season, you should definitely sprinkle salt on your porch and steps. We all know how slippery they can get, and you don't want any accidents. 

#6 Shop for Winter Essentials 

Stock up on winter supplies now, before the snow arrives and prices skyrocket! At the very least, you'll need a snow shovel, salt, and ice melt. Given the forecast, we recommend investing in an extra shovel or a snowblower, if it's within your budget.

Snowman holding a shovel. Once you fix and clean everything in your home, it's time to restock on winter essentials!
 

Moving to North Carolina during the cold weather season?

If you've just bought a new house in Asheville and you're moving to North Carolina from a state where winters are mild, you definitely have to know how to prepare your home for this season. Not only do you have to prepare your new house and yourself, but you have to organize the safe interstate relocation as well.

Moving is never easy, especially when it's freezing outside, right? So, if you are planning on relocating to North Carolina this winter, you'll definitely need some expert help. Professional interstate movers will know how to handle the cold weather and protect your stuff from breakage. Sounds good, right?

Winter is coming!

Yes, winters in North Carolina can be brutal, but if you prepare your Asheville home for winter in time, you'll get to enjoy all the joys of this season. So, inspect every inch of your roof, doors, and windows and fix and clean everything you can. Don't forget about preparing your yard as well. If you follow these tips, you'll definitely spend this winter without a single worry!

 

 

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