Winter is getting closer and that means it’s time to prepare your home for the colder months. In fact, a winterized exterior home transformation can improve your curb appeal and increase your home’s value.

Whether you experience rain, snow, ice, or hail, take care of the following things around your property before winter hits.

1. Seal gaps in your windows and baseboards

Do you have any gaps in your windows or baseboards where they meet the wall? If your house has any gaps, you’re going to have a bunch of cold air coming through in the winter.

If you live in an exceptionally cold area, like Rochester Hills, Michigan, sealing up those gaps will keep you warm and save you money. Even if you live in a hot climate, it’s critical to seal your gaps for winter. You’d be surprised at how cold you can get from just a little bit of air.

You can seal your gaps by adding trim, or you can spray expanding foam into the gaps first and shave it down with a razor blade before adding trim.

Windows are a significant source of heat loss

Do your windows close properly? If not, get them fixed before winter. Make sure you don’t have any gaps under your doors, either. You can get a weatherstrip for the bottom of your door, or you can buy a door blanket specifically designed to keep out the draft.

2. Waterproof your outbuildings and sheds

If you haven’t already waterproofed your outbuildings and sheds, now is the perfect time to get started. Begin by ensuring you have a proper foundation for your sheds. If you need to install a floor, make sure to add a drainage system at the same time.

While your roof is important, you also need to weatherproof the walls, ceiling, and floor. Every outbuilding should have some kind of siding and gutters, even your sheds. It’s a good idea to insulate your outbuildings as well as add ventilation, and ensure all wood surfaces are painted. If you have a warranty on your sheds, the warranty is likely void if you don’t paint your shed right away.

Waterproofing isn’t a task you want to start in cold weather, so make sure to start weatherproofing your outbuildings as soon as possible.

3. Repair or replace your siding

Siding exists to protect your home from damage caused by the sun and adverse weather like hail, snow, and rain. Damaged siding can invite a host of damages to your home. For instance, buckled siding can invite water inside, where it can cause extensive damage in the walls before you’ll even notice.

With winter right around the corner, if you think there’s a chance you might get snow or rain, don’t wait to repair or replace your siding.

4. Clean out your gutters

Don’t let your gutters back up this winter. Backed-up gutters can cause water to collect and drip straight down your walls. Just one inch of rain can send over 1,200 gallons of water down your roof. That’s a lot of water. You don’t want any of that getting through your walls.

If you live in a snowy climate, it’s not good enough to have a metal, pitched roof. With clogged gutters, ice dams can form in winter that will send melted snow straight through your shingles.

Water damage is not something you want to deal with because it’s hard to clean, almost never dries completely, the damage can be severe, and you might end up with black mold. The dampness can also attract mosquitos.

Although damage prevention is the best reason to clean your gutters, it’s also vital if you plan on harvesting rainwater over the winter season.

5. Put a fresh coat of paint on your home’s exterior

A great paint job will go a long way to protect your home from the winter elements. How long has it been since you painted your house? If it’s been a decade, you may want to consider applying a fresh coat of paint. If your paint is peeling, fading, or cracking, now is a great time to fix it all up.

Winter will come fast – don’t delay

Don’t put off winterizing your home’s exterior along with your outbuildings. Winter always comes quickly, and if it starts to rain, you’ll have a hard time accomplishing certain tasks. Get everything done now, while it’s dry, so you can rest easy come winter.