Advantage AlaskaAdvantage Alaska

Alaska Real Estate

Tait Zimmerman
(907) 519-0043
tait@advantagealaska.com
  • Menu
  • Home
  • Search
  • Buyers
    • Buyer Resources
  • Sellers
    • Seller Resources
    • What Is Your Home Worth
    • “Your Home Sold in 90 Days” Guarantee Program
  • Communities
    • Wasilla
    • Palmer
    • Eagle River
    • Chugiak
    • Anchorage
    • Big Lake
    • Willow
    • Sutton
  • Blog
  • Client Reviews
  • Meet Our Team
  • Contact Us

Moving to Alaska? Here are 10 Tips to Prepare You for Winter

Moving from the lower 48 to the Alaska frontier may sound like a dream for many people, but it’s important to understand the climate before jumping into the snow of Alaska.

Even for us lifelong Alaskans, it’s easy to procrastinate and let winter catch us by surprise! Thankfully, down here in Southcentral Alaska, we typically don’t experience the 30-below weather that is more the norm up in the interior. But it can definitely get cold, and it doesn’t take a lot of cold to create a ton of problems!

Moving to Alaska? Here are 10 Tips to Prepare You for Winter

#1. Prepare before leaving.

Even a short trip away from your home can be disastrous if there’s a freeze up. I don’t know how many times I’ve checked on one of my sellers’ homes to find that the heat is out and it’s on the road to freezing up! Make sure everything is working properly, and consider getting set up to remotely monitor the temperature in your home on your smartphone.

#2. Consider energy updates.

It’s fairly expensive, but you can get an actual blower door test that pinpoints areas of heat loss. Even without this test, simple upgrades like blowing in additional insulation in attics (seek professional input), insulating your foundation, replacing old inefficient windows, and sealing cracks around doors can make a huge difference in the heating bill!

#3. Check your roofs and gutters often.

When we get heavy snowfall and runoff, your roof may take the brunt of the damage, so check for any cracks or holes and clear the gutters of any debris.

#5. Keep your stove and chimneys clean.

Many people in Alaska use wood-burning stoves or pellet stoves. You want to have them cleaned and inspected regularly and before purchasing your home. You also want to make sure you have enough fuel or wood stocked up in a dry place.

#6. Backup energy is a big plus.

Our utility companies tend to be pretty on top of things, but there’s always the chance for a period when the power goes out for a period of time. Candles, flashlights, a generator, and a wood stove or an alternative cooking source are all very helpful!

#7. Moderate moisture

Moisture in our homes is a catch-22. Enough moisture for our skin to not dry out tends to produce condensation on windows (and this can be very destructive). If it’s dry enough to avoid condensation, our skin tends to dry out. There’s a fine line somewhere in between. In order to regulate, consider installing dehumidistat switches in bathrooms in conjunction with bath fans, to pull out excess moisture.

#9. Don’t forget your car.

Don’t forget to have your tires upgraded to winter tires, check the oil and have it changed before winter, and double check your battery. The battery can crack when temperatures dip below zero. Maybe consider an engine block heater to warm the engine before you even start it.

#10. Have an emergency bag ready to go.

Keeping an emergency bag in your car means you’re more prepared in case … always in case. Here in Alaska, you never know when you may break down somewhere more remote and end up stranded for a time. Better to be safe than sorry.

We LOVE living in Alaska and I’m sure you will too. It just takes a bit of preparation and adjustment to handle an Alaskan winter with ease! Give us a call if you plan on moving this way and need some advice on homes in Anchorage, Wasilla, or Palmer, or any moving tips!

Posted in: Buyers Tagged: alaska, moving, relocating

Post navigation

« Monday Morning Mojo: Interest Rates Are Ticking Up!
Monday Morning Mojo: A Different Way Of Looking At The Market… »

What Our Clients Say

Cord & Tara R.

Cord & Tara R.
Sold in 5 days for 102% of asking price!

"The Zimmerman Team sold our home in five days for more than 100% of asking price. They did an excellent job of guiding us to closing and through the whole process of selling our home. We would highly recommend them to everyone!"
More Testimonials

Advantage Alaska Real Estate

Discover Alaska Real Estate

1330 E Bogard Rd., Wasilla, AK 99654

(907) 519-0043
tait@advantagealaska.com


  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap

Search Tools

Licensed in the state of Alaska
Advantage Alaska Real Estate

DISCLAIMER: The listing content relating to real estate for this website comes in part from the AK MLS IDX Program of Alaska Multiple Listing Service, Inc. (AK MLS). Real Estate listings held by brokerage firms other than Brokerage of Site Owner are marked with either the Listing Brokerage’s Logo or the AK MLS IDX Logo and information about them includes the name of the Listing Brokerage. All information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified for accuracy. Listing information is updated daily. Copyright 2018 Alaska Multiple Listing Service, Inc. All rights reserved. Data Services Provided by IDXBroker

Copyright © 2023
Website created and maintained by
~ PK Hughes, LLC - dba Kim Hughes
All Rights Reserved