Lake of the Ozarks Winter Ready Checklist: Preparing Your Home for Colder Weather

October is a good time to walk around your property and pay attention to the little things.



Around the Lake of the Ozarks, fall can be the window between summer heat and the colder temperatures ahead. For full-time homeowners, it is a chance to take care of maintenance before winter. For second-home and seasonal-property owners, it can also be the last opportunity to catch a problem before leaving the Lake for weeks or months at a time.

You do not need to turn fall maintenance into a major renovation project. Start with a good visual look at the property, take care of obvious problems, and know when something needs a specialist.

Here are some of the things worth checking.

1. Start With the Roof, Gutters and Drainage

Water is one of the first things to think about before winter.



Look for gutters filled with leaves or debris, downspouts that are not directing water away from the house, and obvious signs of damage around the roofline, fascia or soffits.

Also look around the property after a good rain. Is water moving away from the house, or collecting somewhere it should not?

Missouri's fall and winter weather can introduce rain, freezing temperatures and freeze-thaw cycles. A drainage or moisture problem that seems minor in October may be much less convenient to deal with in January.

You do not need to climb onto the roof yourself. If something looks damaged or questionable from the ground, have the appropriate professional take a closer look.

2. Walk Around the Exterior of the Home

Take a slow walk around the house before colder weather arrives.



Look for peeling or failing paint, exposed wood, damaged trim, gaps around doors and windows, deteriorated caulking, loose siding or other areas where weather and moisture may be getting where they should not.

Exterior paint is not only about changing the color of a house. Properly maintained exterior surfaces also help protect the materials underneath from normal weather exposure.

If you find peeling paint, deteriorating trim or exposed wood, Arctic Renovations can help determine whether it is something that can be addressed through repair and exterior painting before it turns into a larger project.

3. Check Doors, Windows and Exterior Openings

Cooler weather has a way of making gaps around a house much easier to notice.



Check doors and windows for obvious drafts, damaged weatherstripping, failed caulk, difficult operation or visible gaps. Pay particular attention to sliding patio doors and other large openings that get regular use during the Lake season.

A small amount of maintenance now may improve comfort through winter and help prevent moisture from finding its way into places it does not belong.

If a window or door is damaged or no longer functioning properly, replacement or repair may make more sense than repeatedly trying to patch the same problem.

4. Don't Forget the Deck, Stairs and Railings

Lake-area homes often have decks, stairs, porches and outdoor spaces that get heavy use during spring and summer.



Fall is a good time for a visual condition check.

Look for loose boards, deteriorating wood, peeling or worn finishes, loose railings, damaged steps and areas where water seems to sit rather than drain.

The goal is not to perform a formal inspection. It is simply to notice obvious maintenance or repair issues while they are easy to see and before winter weather adds another season of exposure.

Small repairs are usually easier to plan when they are still small.

5. Disconnect Hoses and Think About Freeze-Prone Plumbing

One of the simplest fall tasks is also one that is easy to forget: disconnect garden hoses from outdoor faucets.



Water trapped where it is exposed to freezing temperatures can create problems when temperatures fall. Outdoor hose bibs, exposed water lines, crawl spaces, garages and plumbing near exterior walls deserve particular attention.

If your property has plumbing that is especially vulnerable to cold weather—or if you are winterizing a seasonal property—talk with a qualified plumber about the proper approach for your specific plumbing system.

The same goes for any existing leaks. Fall is a much better time to address them than after an extended freeze.

6. Look for Small Repairs You've Been Putting Off

Most homeowners have a list.

A piece of trim needs attention. A door sticks. Drywall needs repaired. A section of flooring has been bothering you. There is a gap that needs sealed or a small repair that never quite made it to the top of the summer project list.

Fall is a good time to decide which of those items should be handled before winter.

Arctic Renovations works with homeowners throughout the Lake of the Ozarks on painting, flooring, repairs and home renovation projects, so several smaller items can sometimes be addressed together instead of becoming separate projects later.

7. Make Sure the Home Is Ready for Colder Temperatures

Before colder weather settles in, make sure your heating system is operating properly and change or service filters as recommended for your equipment.

Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace batteries when needed.



If you have exposed plumbing in vulnerable areas, make sure you understand how those areas will be protected when temperatures fall.

Heating-system service, significant plumbing concerns, electrical problems and other specialized work should be handled by the appropriate qualified professional.

Arctic Renovations does not need to be the answer to every item on the checklist. Part of taking care of a property is knowing when the right answer is calling someone who specializes in that system.

Leaving Your Lake Home for the Winter?

Winter preparation becomes more important when your Lake of the Ozarks property is not your full-time residence.

Before leaving a lake home, cabin or vacation property for an extended period, think beyond simply locking the doors.

Walk the exterior. Check for visible damage. Clean up seasonal items. Disconnect hoses. Make sure the property is prepared for freezing temperatures. Confirm the heating and plumbing plan appropriate for your home.

Make sure doors and windows are secure.

Then ask one more question:

What happens after you leave?

A property can be in good condition the day you head home and still experience something weeks later.

A strong storm can move through. A limb can come down. Wind can damage something outside. Temperatures can drop sharply. Water can appear where it was not before. A door, window, deck or exterior surface can develop a problem.

If you live hundreds of miles away, you may not know anything has changed until the next time someone visits.



That is one of the reasons Arctic Renovations is beginning to expand the way we help seasonal and second-home owners around the Lake.

Seasonal Property Care at the Lake of the Ozarks

Not every property owner has the time, ability or proximity to work through a fall checklist—or to check on a property after leaving for the season.



Arctic Renovations can help with seasonal property preparation, visual property checks and repair or maintenance work that falls within our scope.

This is not a formal home inspection, and we are not trying to replace licensed or specialized professionals. The idea is much simpler:

Have someone local put eyes on the property, notice visible changes and help take care of appropriate maintenance and repair needs before small issues have more time to become larger ones.

For homeowners who live at the Lake full time, that may mean help getting through the fall project list.



For second-home and seasonal owners, it can mean having a local relationship with someone who understands the property and can help when you are not right down the road.

A Little Preparation Goes a Long Way

You do not have to find something wrong with your house to make a fall property check worthwhile.

Sometimes the best result is simply knowing the gutters are clear, the exterior looks good, the hoses are disconnected, the deck is solid and the small repair you noticed in August is finally off the list.



And if you do find something that needs attention, October gives you a chance to address it before colder weather makes the project more complicated.

Arctic Renovations is a family-owned contractor serving Camdenton, Osage Beach, Lake Ozark and communities throughout the Lake of the Ozarks. Mark Kempf brings more than 25 years of hands-on construction and renovation experience to the painting, flooring, repair and renovation work we perform today.

Need Help Getting Your Lake Property Winter Ready?

If you have repairs or maintenance projects you would like to address before winter—or you own a seasonal Lake property and want to talk about how Arctic Renovations may be able to help while you are away—give us a call.

Call Arctic Renovations at 417-300-8800 or request a free estimate.