It's that time of year again and as we all know the rain and the shoveling snow are soon to come. What to do and actually doing it today before the wet weather comes and water penetrates your home can save you thousands of dollars of repair work tomorrow.
Here goes:
Roof - Perhaps the most vulnerable part of your home as it's the part most prone to the weather and hence it's the area to be looked at first. Take a 
nice day, go up on the roof or (if you're afraid of heights) use binoculars to check for broken, curled or missing shingles and fix them as soon as possible. If there are a number of these seen you can be guaranteed that your shingles are in their last days and will soon need replacement. Be warned - the cost of new shingles on an average Newfoundland home is between $6,000.00 and $8,000.00 with a life expectancy of approximately 20 years - that translates to a cost of between $300.00 - $400.00 a year. If the roof looks really worn and tired, consider replacing it now; waiting another year might save you several hundred dollars in replacement cost today but should the roof leak during the year your repair cost due to water damage could amount to thousands of dollars. Even with roof insurance there is a deductible of $500.00 or more so do the math and repair the shingles before the winter.
Siding - Siding itself doesn't leak but when it joins windows and doors and concrete, water penetration can and does happen. But there is a quick and easy fix - for a $5.00 tub of caulking and a couple hours of your time you can again save thousands in future upgrades. Additionally check for water stains on the siding under roof eaves. If they are there you probably are having ice dams. For that to hopefully be fixed you need additional attic ventilation and to ensure that any piping or wiring or ductwork which might reach in to the attic is sealed tightly so as not to allow the warmer area from the house getting in to the attic. This might be a bit expensive but you'll recover the cost over a few years due to reduced heating cost.
Foundation Crack - There are very few homes because of our rapid freeze/thaw winters in our province that do not have foundation cracks. 
Luckily most are minor and of little or no concern; but it's best to check them out. If they are less the 1/8 of an inch there is usually no problem. However, it's a wise move to check each year to see if they get bigger. If they do, you need to caulk them and perhaps even seek professional advice. Also, note any horizontal cracks or signs of movement as this is your warning that there are stress factors on the foundation - you'll need the advice of a structural engineer for any you may see.
Ensuring these areas are in perfect shape today can save you many dollars tomorrow!
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