Tips for Winterizing Your Home

Welcome back!

Now is a good time to start preparing your home for the winter months.  As temperatures begin to drop, your home will require maintenance to keep it in tip-top shape through the winter.

Below are ten tips to help you prepare your home for the winter:

1. Furnace Inspection – Call an HVAC professional to inspect your furnace and clean air ducts.  Be sure that no flammable material is nearby the furnace.  Stock up on furnace filters and change them monthly.  Do what I’ve done and switch out your thermostat for a programmable thermostat.  This is an easy task to do and it will help save you on your utility bills.
2. Get your Fireplace Ready – If your chimney has not been cleaned for a while, call a chimney sweep to remove soot and creosote.  Get a supply of firewood and store it in a dry place away from the exterior of your home.
3. Check the Exterior of your Home – Inspect the exterior of your home for cracks and exposed entry points around pipes; seal them.  Use weatherstripping around doors to prevent cold air from entering your home and caulk around windows.  If your home has a basement, consider covering window wells with plastic shields.  Switch out summer screens with glass replacements…if you have storm windows, install them.
4. Inspect Roof, Gutters & Downspouts – Check flashing to ensure that water cannot enter your home.  Replace worn roof shingles or tiles.  Clean out your gutters and use a house to spray water down the downspouts to clear away any debris.
5. Service Winter Specific Equipment – Drain gas from lawnmowers, replace worn rakes, store summer lawn furniture and gardening equipment, and buy a supply of ice-melt to keep on hand.
6. Check Foundations – Rake away all debris and edible vegetation from around your home’s foundation.  Seal up entry points to keep small animals from crawling under the house seeking warm shelter.  Tuckpoint or seal foundation cracks…mice can slip through the smallest of cracks.  Inspect sill plates for dry rot or pest infestation.
7. Install Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors – Buy extra smoke detector batteries and change them when daylight saving ends.  Install a carbon monoxide detector near your furnace and/or water heater.  Test all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they work properly.  Buy a fire extinguisher or replace an extinguisher older than 10 years.
8. Prevent Plumbing Freezes – Locate your water main in the event you need to shut it off in case of an emergency.  Drain all garden hoses and store them.  Drain air conditioner pipes and, if your AC has a water shut-off valve, turn it off.  If you leave for vacation, leave the heat on, set to at least 55 degrees.
9. Prepare Landscaping & Outdoor Surfaces – Trim tress if branches hang too close to the house or electrical wires.  Ask a gardener when your trees should be pruned to prevent winter injury.  Seal driveways, brick patios, wood decks.  Move sensitive potted plants indoors or to a sheltered area.
10. Prepare an Emergency Kit – Purchase indoor candles and matches to use during a power shortage.  Find the phone numbers for your utility companies and store them near your house phone.  Buy a battery back-up to protect your computer and other sensitive electronic equipment.