Congratulations! You’ve survived the competitive Calgary housing market, the closing process, and now you own a home. But the hardest part is just beginning—especially when that first Alberta winter hits.
As a first-time homeowner, you’ve inherited a few things beyond a mortgage: a demanding climate, freeze-thaw cycles, and the responsibility of cold-weather maintenance.
The inspectors at NexLevel Home Inspections are here to help. This checklist covers the five essential tasks every new Calgary homeowner must prioritize to protect their investment from winter damage.
1. The Pre-Freeze Water Shutdown (Preventing the Big Burst)
The #1 financial shock for new homeowners in winter is often burst pipes. It’s preventable, and it needs to be done before the deep freeze hits.
| Task | Why It Matters | NexLevel Insight |
| Shut Off Outdoor Taps | Your exterior hose bibs (taps) are exposed to freezing air. If left pressurized, the residual water inside the pipe can freeze and burst inside the wall. | Locate the interior shut-off valve for the exterior taps (usually in the basement or utility room) and turn it off. Then, open the exterior tap to drain the remaining water. |
| Disconnect Hoses | Even if you shut off the valve, leaving a hose connected traps water, which can damage the spigot and the pipe inside the wall. | Disconnect and drain all hoses and store them inside for the winter. |
2. Furnace Filter and Air Sealing Check (Saving Money, Not Just Heat)
Your furnace is your home’s most critical appliance in Calgary. You must understand how to maintain it and prevent heat loss.
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Check the Filter: A clogged, dirty furnace filter reduces efficiency and is the most common reason for a furnace safety shutdown. Make a recurring reminder to check and replace it monthly during the winter.
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Locate the Humidifier: Most Calgary homes have a furnace humidifier. Learn how to turn it on (and off in summer) to maintain healthy indoor humidity (30–40% is ideal) and prevent dry air, static, and splitting wood.
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Draft Inspection: Walk around your home holding a lit incense stick or a thin tissue. Check around windows, doors, and electrical outlets for drafts. A small air leak can cost you hundreds over a winter season.
3. Attic Ventilation & Ice Dam Defense
As a first-time buyer, you need to understand that if the roof fails, everything underneath it is at risk.
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Monitor Snow and Ice: Keep an eye out for Ice Dams—ridges of ice that form along the roof’s edge. This is a sign of heat escaping from your attic, melting the snow, and then refreezing at the cold eave.
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Clear Soffit Vents: Ensure your home’s perimeter soffit vents are free from debris, snow, or insulation blockage. Proper ventilation is key to keeping the attic cold, which prevents ice dams and attic rain.
4. Know Your Basement Drainage (Preventing Spring Flooding)
Calgary’s spring thaw and chinooks can dump massive amounts of water around your foundation.
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Check Your Grade: Look at the ground slope around your home. Is it sloping away from the foundation (good) or toward it (bad)?
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Extend Downspouts: Ensure your eavestrough downspouts extend at least 6 feet away from the foundation. This simple step directs roof runoff safely away from your basement walls.
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Test Your Sump Pump: If you have one, pour a bucket of water into the pit to ensure the pump activates and discharges water properly. A failed pump is a guarantee of a flood.
5. Schedule an Annual Home Inspection
The home inspection you received before buying was a single snapshot. As a new owner, your best defence is a full home wellness check every few years.
An annual inspection with NexLevel helps you catch minor maintenance issues (like failing flashing or bad grading) before they turn into major structural repairs, giving you a clear maintenance budget for the year ahead.
Be proactive this winter. Protecting your first home starts now!
| Section | Task | Status | Notes / Date Completed |
| I. HVAC & HEATING SYSTEM | |||
| Furnace Filter | Check and replace/clean the furnace filter. (Do this monthly in winter). | ☐ | |
| Thermostat | Ensure the thermostat is working correctly and set to “HEAT.” | ☐ | |
| Carbon Monoxide | Test or replace batteries in Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors. | ☐ | |
| Humidifier | Ensure the furnace humidifier is turned ON and set to a healthy range (30-40%). | ☐ | |
| Exterior Vents | Visually check the high-efficiency furnace intake/exhaust pipes outside and clear them of snow or ice. | ☐ | |
| II. WATER & PLUMBING (FROZEN PIPE PREVENTION) | |||
| Exterior Hose Bibs | Locate and turn OFF the interior shut-off valve for all exterior taps/hoses. | ☐ | |
| Drain Taps | Open exterior hose taps after shutting off the valve to fully drain any residual water. | ☐ | |
| Disconnect Hoses | Disconnect and drain all garden hoses, and store them inside. | ☐ | |
| Basement Windows | Ensure all basement windows and window wells are closed tightly and properly sealed. | ☐ | |
| III. ROOF & ATTIC HEALTH | |||
| Soffit Vents | Confirm that soffit vents along the eaves are clear of insulation or debris to allow proper airflow. | ☐ | |
| Attic Access | Verify the attic hatch/access point is properly sealed to prevent warm air leaks into the attic space. | ☐ | |
| Eavestroughs/Gutters | Ensure gutters are clean and free of leaves or debris before major snowfall. | ☐ | |
| Downspouts | Confirm downspouts extend at least 6 feet away from the foundation to direct water flow. | ☐ | |
| IV. EXTERIOR & FOUNDATION | |||
| Grading | Walk the perimeter and confirm the soil grading slopes away from the foundation wall. | ☐ | |
| Sump Pump | Test the sump pump by pouring a bucket of water into the pit to verify it activates. | ☐ | |
| Window/Door Seals | Check for visible drafts or gaps around windows and doors; apply weather stripping or caulk as needed. | ☐ | |
| V. ANNUAL SAFETY CHECK | |||
| Smoke Detectors | Test and replace batteries in all smoke detectors. | ☐ | |
| Book Annual Inspection | Schedule a winter or early spring Home Wellness Check with NexLevel Home Inspections to identify hidden damage (ice dams, moisture, insulation issues) before they become catastrophic. | ☐ |
📞 Need to Investigate a Hidden Concern?
Our licensed inspectors are available 24 hours a day for advice and prompt inspection service in Calgary, Cochrane, Airdrie, Chestermere, Okotoks, and High River.
📞 Contact NexLevel Home Inspections Today
Partner with the experts who know Calgary’s cold climate. We are available 24 hours a day.
| Contact Detail | Information |
| Primary Phone |
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| nexlevelinspections@gmail.com | |
| Service Areas | Calgary, Cochrane, Airdrie, Chestermere, Conrich, Okotoks, High River |
| Opening Hours | 24 Hrs |
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