If you spend time ‘upta’ camp over winter, preparing how to winterize a camp or how to winterize a cabin, but for a matter of scale, it is not that different from winterizing your home. If you live in Maine, New Hampshire, or anywhere in New England, that preparation is essential for maintaining warmth and energy efficiency throughout the extreme cold season.Â
At Octagon Cleaning in Restoration, we encourage all our customers to safeguard their homes, camps, and cabins against winter’s harsh elements early, before the cold weather sets in. Steps like inspecting the roof and heating systems or sealing doors and windows, for example, can prevent heat from escaping and keep cold air out. These measures and others help reduce drafts, protect against structural issues like ice dams, and ensure that heating systems operate at peak efficiency, minimizing energy costs.
If you’re considering ways to help winterize your camp or home to withstand the harsh winter, here are five essential steps to keep it consistently cozy, comfortable, and safe during the cold months.
1. Roof Inspection
Inspecting your home or camp’s roof before winter ensures that the roof can effectively insulate and protect against the cold. Any cracks, missing shingles, or loose flashing can create gaps that allow warm air to escape and cold air to seep in, making heating systems work harder and increasing energy costs. By sealing these vulnerabilities, a winter inspection helps maintain a consistent indoor temperature, reduces drafts, and minimizes heat loss, creating a warmer, cozier space. A well-maintained roof also prevents ice dams, which can damage insulation, lead to water intrusion, and costly repairs.
2. Clean Gutters
Octagon advises homeowners to clean out their gutters and downspouts of debris to prevent ice dams and water damage that can compromise insulation and heating efficiency. When gutters are clogged, they trap melting snow and ice, which can refreeze at the roof’s edge, forming ice dams. These dams prevent proper drainage and force water back under shingles, potentially causing leaks and damaging insulation in walls and ceilings. When insulation becomes wet, it will not only lose its effectiveness, leading to drafts and increased heat loss, but it can also lead to mold growth, presenting structural and health-related problems. Keeping gutters clean allows proper drainage, helps protect insulation, and maintains a home’s warmth and energy efficiency during the cold months.
3. Seal Windows and Doors
Sealing and weatherproofing doors and windows in New England is essential for keeping a home or camp warm during the winter. Doors and windows are common sources of heat loss, as even small gaps or cracks can allow cold air to seep in and warm air to escape. Adding weatherstripping, caulking around frames, and installing draft stoppers or thermal curtains creates a tighter barrier against the cold. This keeps indoor temperatures more stable and reduces the strain on heating systems, leading to lower energy bills and a warmer, cozier space. Properly weatherproofed doors and windows help prevent drafts and make it easier to maintain comfort despite New England’s cold, windy winters.
4. Inspecting Furnaces, Fireplaces, and Chimneys
Inspecting furnaces, fireplaces, and chimneys before winter in New England helps maintain a warm and safe environment in a home or camp. Ensuring clean and well-maintained furnaces allows them to run efficiently, maximizing heat output and minimizing energy costs. For fireplaces, cleaning and inspecting chimneys helps remove blockages or creosote buildup, improving heating efficiency and reducing the risk of dangerous chimney fires. A well-inspected heating system also helps identify any wear or potential issues beforehand, ensuring that all heating sources function safely and effectively, providing consistent warmth during the coldest months.
5. Protect Water Pipes
While insulating pipes directly does not increase the warmth of a house or camp, it helps maintain the efficiency of your heating system and prevent issues that could compromise household warmth. When pipes freeze and burst in your cabin or home, they can cause water leaks and structural damage that could disrupt heating, especially if connected to a boiler or hot water heating system. To avoid costly damage and water supply interruptions during the middle of winter, Octagon recommends wrapping vulnerable pipes in foam-insulating sleeves to provide thermal protection. Insulated pipes also reduce heat loss in the water system, which reduces energy demands, enabling your heating system to work more effectively to keep your home warm without interruptions from frozen or burst pipes.
If you have questions about getting your home ready for winter, contact Octagon Cleaning & Restoration. Should water intrusion occur, we’re here to help mitigate any damage. Call Maine (207) 893-0002 or New Hampshire at (603) 239- 2100.
