With the Cincinnati winter on its way in Ohio, your home needs to be prepared for the frigid temperatures that are coming this season. Your entire home takes a hit when temperatures plummet, but your gutters are the hardest hit. Gutter cleaning can make a huge difference in the fall, so you do not have to worry about gutter repairs in winter and spring. In this short guide, you will be informed of the top five ways to protect your house in freezing conditions.

1. Gutter cleaning

One of the best things you can do to prepare your home for the frigid temperature of winter is to perform gutter cleaning. By cleaning the troughs before the heavy snow arrives, you are saving yourself from gutter repairs in the spring as the trough and downspout will not be clogged so the melted snow from the sun will be able to drain correctly. If you do not have the time or physical health the clean your own gutters, hire a local and professional handyman to complete the task for you.

2. Add insulation to your attic

Another great way to protect your home this winter is to insulate your attic area. Insulation keeps the warm air from escaping to the roof. Once the warm air hits the roofing, it starts to melt the snow near the chimney. Repairs may need to be performed to the gutters in the spring as the melted water hits the still freezing drainage system and refreezes causing ice dams. Ice damming can cause your troughs to leak due to cracks and splits as well as add increased pressure, which can cause sagging, and a potential fall of gutters on the HVAC system below.

3. Perform landscaping in the fall

It is imperative that you perform landscaping in the fall season to get ready for the snowfall in winter. It is essential to make sure you are trimming back branches that hang over the roof and the gutters, as these limbs can get heavy with the weight of ice and snow. They can crack under pressure and land on your home and potentially cause much damage.

4. Ventilate your attic space

Make sure when you do any remodeling, that you insulate and are ventilating the attic space correctly. Do not block the attic air vents and make sure that cooler air is within the attic as warm air will reach the roof and cause the same ice damming effect as the lack of insulation. It probably seems silly to insulate the rest of your house for warmth and then to leave the attic cool, but this is the best way to protect your home in freezing conditions.

5. Don't let your pipes freeze

Just like the need to perform gutter cleaning in the fall and gutter repairs in the spring, it is necessary to complete pipe insulation in the winter. Insulating your pipes in the frigid weather will keep your pipes from freezing and subsequently bursting due to the added pressure on the pipes when the water freezes inside them. This can lead to much aggravation and repair as well as a hit to your wallet.

As you can see, there are multiple ways you can prepare your Cincinnati home for the blast of cold air you are about to experience. Whether you add insulation to the attic, clean the gutters, perform landscaping, or ventilate correctly, your home will be protected from the frigid weather outside. If you follow our advice on the top five ways to protect your home in freezing conditions, you will have the warmest and safest house in all of Cincinnati!