Purchase a chemical de-icer or salt to have on hand for walkways and driveways. Remember salt is for pavement and chemical de-icer is for concrete. Never place salt on concrete!!

"I hired Peter for a home inspection and I was impressed with his in depth knowledge. Peter is a trustworthy person and his past experience adds to his superior work. Anybody who needs a home inspector Peter should be your first choice."
   ~ Omid Mashinchi, Realtor

Are You Ready?...  If the prognostications of the Weather Forecasters are to be believed this winter is going to be the coldest and snowiest in the last 50 years. So there are things that we should do to prepare our residence for a winter like that.

Here is a list of things to do so we are prepared for winter:

1. Clean debris out of gutters.
2. Have roof checked to ensure no leaks.
3. Bring snow shovel to an easily accessible place in your house. IE: not the crawlspace or the detached garage.
4. Purchase chemical de-icer or salt to have on hand for walkways and driveways. Remember salt is for pavement and chemical de-icer is for concrete. Never place salt on concrete!!
5. Have your furnace and gas fireplaces serviced if not already done. Change or clean your furnace filter.
6. Turn off your hose bibs (outside taps) and remove hoses to storage. If your hose bibs are not frost protected then either install a heat tracer wire on your pipes or wrap with a cloth or towel to protect them from freezing.
7. Ensure you have working flashlights and candles easily accessible for those unexpected power outages.
8. I know this is not house related but please install 4 snow tires on your vehicle so you are not having or causing accidents. We all want to have a safe and happy winter season.
9. If you have a wood burning fireplace you should have your flue cleaned and checked prior to using it this winter. Also remember not to burn Xmas wrap in your fireplace. This is a major cause of chimney fires.

It is always wise to purchase the suggested necessary items early so that you do not get surprised at the hardware store after the first snowfall when they have sold out of snow shovels and de-icer.

It is also a great idea to install your snow tires now before the first snowfall to save you hours of headaches as you wait in a huge line at the tire store. 

The Homeowner Maintenance Inspection type of inspection is invaluable for home owners that want to keep their homes in tip top shape!

When was the last time you had your house inspected? Probably when you purchased it!
 
It is a good idea to have your roof, foundation, heating system, etc looked at every five years so that you can keep up on the maintenance and budget for upcoming issues.

This is also a good inspection for home owners that have investment/rental properties that they have to maintain.

Hansen Home Inspections Ltd. is a licensed professional home inspection firm in North Vancouver, BC serving buyers, sellers and those maintaining their homes in the North Shore and Metro Vancouver.

If you are adventurous and thinking of going into the back country or just on a small day hike up one of the many great trails on our beautiful North Shore this winter, please be prepared with the following:

• Flashlight and spare batteries
• Whistle
• Matches (waterproof)
• Pocket knife
• Compass and maps of the area
• Extra warm clothing
• Water and Gatorade crystals
• First Aid kit
• Thermal tarp and large orange plastic bag
• Cellular phone and spare battery

For more information on being safe in the backcountry, the North Shore Rescue website has a lot of very good information. Visit northshorerescue.com.