What features to look for in cold climate

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This is what I came here to say. We lived in Kansas and it was such a blessing to have the front of our house face south. It made it so much easier to clear the driveway and sidewalk as snow/ice would often melt in the sunshine. I always felt sorry for the other side of the street where the shadow of the house kept the north facing driveway and sidewalks covered in snow/ice.

You're thinking too much about snow and not enough about moisture in general. Snow is easy to get rid of. Moisture isn't. If you're considering an older house you need to look for mold, moisture damage, foundation integrity. Also look for exterior drainage, slopes going towards house, and street storm drains. Try to look at the houses you're seriously considering in the rain if it's possible.

Add Radon to the list of things to test for. Not as common in Texas but in MI it is a concern.

FTHB that closed back in June. I live in Western PA so lots of rain and cold periods. I think all the things you mentioned are fair. A few things I was pretty ignorant towards that I wish I knew, researched, and/or paid more attention to that I need to address down the road: Gutters - the home needs gutters installed for our front and back porch area and the down spouts from the upper gutter system need replaced too. Gutter system is very important for handling snow/rain. Hand rails outside home - We need to get handrails installed for our front walk way and back entrance. Not many steps but still for safety reasons as I have a kid and MIL in her 60s living with us. Air duct insulation - noticed during the first month that probably some leaks in the basement for the main ducts that probably need sealed this fall as parts of home, 2nd and 3rd floor, the AC doesnt run as great. Attic ventilation - noticed our 3rd floor does not have proper ventilation as there is no intake ventilation, but there is exhaust vents, so it gets really humid up there. Also learned recently that that humidity can cause premature melting in the winter and could freeze your gutters. These are all things I will be tackling by winter time hopefully. Hope these help for some ideas and good luck!

Moved from MI to Texas and then back to the Midwest. Windows can be big if they're energy efficient. They can be more insulated than walls. Good windows won't leak heat. You can put salt on your stairs and use a handrail. Mudroom is a must!! Or at least a laundry room entrance. Coat closet!!! A fireplace is a must for me. You have to shovel your driveway and sidewalks. I avoid conner lots because you may be responsible for shoveling so much sidewalk, and often it's required to be completed before kids have to walk to school in the morning. You can get a ticket. I currently have a home with no sidewalk but a long driveway. We bought a garden tractor to plow it. And yes, I would never buy without a garage. It's not just snow, ice will accumulate on your car windows.

I live in Michigan and rarely see a flat roof. Shallow angles are fine for snow and rain management. Like others mentioned, gutters that lead water away from the foundation are very important. Because the ground freezes and thaws, any water trapped near your house can cause real damage over time. A garage is very nice, but not 100% needed. I'd prioritize a mudroom or foyer where you can take off wet shoes and snow pants. You don't need to sacrifice windows, but you should make sure they're double pane and the rest of the house is well insulated. I highly suggest having a humidifier built into your furnace or buying them for each bedroom. You can have outside stairs, but make sure to salt them before snowstorms and clear them off right away. Snow will melt in the sun and refreeze as ice the following night.

I live in Indiana. Important things to note for my house hunting was termite potential damage, water/mold damage, pest infestation issues. Mice, snakes, squirrels - make sure you find an inspector that knows what to look for!!! Also, covered parking isn't a huge necessity. But a good car scraper or 2, and I normally use old cardboard boxes laid flat for large snow/ice events. Also look at trees on your lot. Ice storms are normal for the midwest. Don't have a big tree with large limbs overhanging the house.

Plenty of good advice here already. FIreplace/woodstove is a must. Get a decent snow blower and thank me later. (Toro makes good small ones) Keep it maintained and run it once in a while so you know it will start. 100% gasoline (no ethanol). You may not need it much but when snowmaggedon happens as it will, you'll be glad. Snowmobiles are optional and a lot of fun especially if you live in the rural areas further north.

Pay close attention tonthe driveway and the street. You want flattish and a quiet street so if it's icy you can slide out relatively safely. A garage isn't necessarily great if you then have to shovel a long driveway.

Pay close attention to the driveway and the street. You want flattish and a quiet street so if it's icy you can slide out relatively safely. A garage isn't necessarily great if you then have to shovel a long driveway.

I’d winter in Texas and summer in Michigan.

I'd watch for the add ons and unpermitted stuff built after original house was. Frost depth in MI is 42", original foundation is likely below that. Decks, rebuilt front stoops, porch posts, anything a previous owner put in without a permit can be sitting on shallow footings or none, and that stuff heaves every winter. Common with diy or "I got a guy" work. Look for steps pulling away from the house and deck posts sitting on blocks instead of poured piers. Any flat or low slope roof section, whether the house was designed that way or somebody added it, is riding on a membrane- you're looking at 15 to 25 years between needing replacement, and that's if all was installed properly. If possible find out what the material is and when it was last replaced. Look at the ceiling underneath it as first step. Recent drywall replacement can mean as much as current water damage - there's leaking above it. The attic intake comment above is ice dams. Look for stained fascia, bent gutters and ceiling stains where the ceiling meets an outside wall. Pitched is better in snow country, but a properly built flat/low-slope roof with the right membrane and drainage is fine (Chicago is full of them). The real red flag isn't the shape, it's a flat roof with ponding stains, patched seams, or no interior drain/scupper maintenance. Modern double or triple pane low-E windows are not the heat leak old single panes were. What matters is the quality pot windows and installation not quantity. South facing glass actually gains you free heat in winter. Keep your natural light; just check the windows themselves. Attic insulation depth and ventilatio, you want approx R-49+ up there (14"+ of blown insulation) and working soffit-to-ridge ventilation to prevent ice dams which is the single most damaging cold-climate failure. Warm air going into the attic melts snow, it refreezes at the eaves, and water backs up under the shingles into the walls.Look at the eaves and interior ceilings near exterior walls for staining. Also look for heat cables on the roof edge, they're a band-aid that tells you the house has the problem. Frost or mold on the attic sheathing. Black staining or frost on the underside of the roof deck = moisture problem = ventilation/air-sealing was done wrong.

My number one requirement would be a house with good southern exposure. Nothing makes a long winter worse than living in a house with no natural light.

Make sure your garage is big enough for vehicles plus snow blower, lawn mowers and all the other tools necessary for property maintenance. Or have a separate tool shed. If you buy a large property, then the power equipment needed will also be larger and take up more room in the garage. Pay attention to the slope of the driveway and other vehicle parking areas. At my prior home in rural northern Wisconsin, the detached garage was perched atop a slight incline. It had a long gravel driveway leading from the road up to it. That slope was nice for draining rainwater away from the garage in summer. However in winter, with slippery wet ice or snow, it was easy to get stuck on that incline. If you get a rural property, then contract with a snow plowing service or get your own snow plow truck.

Houses in Michigan often have basements. Not in Texas. Make sure you look for foundation cracks and water intrusion.

A south facing house. Sun is your friend after a snow fall. It will help melt the snow.

Drainage! Gutters and grading, sump pump (?), French drains or other outdoor features to keep water away from the house and foundation. A roof you can access to rake snow off off (roof rake) is helpful too, especially for preventing ice dams. Older homes especially—see if insulation has been added to attic space. Also, super sealed up homes, especially ones that were “retrofitted” can be an issue too. if it’s an older home that’s been upgraded with windows and caulking, insulation etc to be more energy efficient, check to see if it has an air exchanger. If not— check for condensation damage on windows and around doorframes. Depending on where in MI, you might have a little anyway bc of extreme temps. And, it will be worse if the house can’t breathe. Indoor air quality is often terrible. Anything you can do to mitigate that, along with appropriate levels of humidity, and water drainage will pay dividends.

Know your areas. Half of western new york gets snow, the other half gets a mega dump a snow every storm.

My daughter used to live in Duluth, MN and it is a very hilly town. Make sure your new home is maybe in a flat part of town.

Born and reared in the Great Midwest although not as far north as Michigan. I wouldn't look for a home that minimizes window areas but, instead, look for a home that has double (or even triple) pane windows. OR, if the price is great, consider having windows replaced with double panes.