As the seasons turn and cooler weather approaches, taking a few key steps to prepare your home for winter can save you from high energy bills, unexpected emergencies, and costly repairs. Winterizing your house is one of the smartest investments of time you can make, ensuring your space remains warm, safe, and efficient through the coldest months.
This guide breaks down the most important tasks into simple, manageable steps. Start with this quick checklist, then read on for detailed instructions on how to tackle each item.
Your 10-Step Winter Home Checklist
- Service Your Furnace: Schedule a professional tune-up.
- Change the Filter: A fresh filter improves efficiency.
- Seal Drafty Doors & Windows: Use caulk and weatherstripping.
- Clean Your Gutters: Prevent ice dams and water damage.
- Inspect the Roof: Look for damaged or missing shingles.
- Prep Your Chimney: Have it professionally cleaned and inspected.
- Protect Exterior Plumbing: Disconnect hoses and shut off outdoor faucets.
- Insulate Exposed Pipes: Stop pipes from freezing in cold zones.
- Test Safety Alarms: Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
- Assemble a Storm Kit: Gather essentials for a power outage.
A Deeper Dive into Winterizing Your House
With the checklist as our guide, let’s explore how to complete each step to fully prepare your home for winter.
Keep the Heat On: Furnace & Filter Care
Your heating system is the heart of your home in winter. Keeping it in top shape is essential for comfort, safety, and your budget.
Schedule a Professional Tune-Up
Before you rely on your heat daily, have an HVAC professional inspect your system. A standard tune-up, which costs between $80 and $150, is a small price to pay for peace of mind. A technician will clean internal components, test for dangerous carbon monoxide leaks, check electrical connections, and ensure the system is running at peak efficiency. This simple service helps prevent a furnace failure on the coldest night of the year.
Don’t Forget the Filter
The easiest task you can perform is changing your furnace filter. A clogged filter restricts airflow, forcing the system to work harder and driving up your energy bill. Check your filter monthly and replace it every 1-3 months.
Seal the Gaps: Stop Drafts and Save Money
Did you know that small cracks and gaps can account for a significant portion of your home’s heat loss? Finding and sealing these drafts is a low-cost, high-impact project.
Perform a Simple Draft Test
To find leaks, hold a lit incense stick near windows, doors, and electrical outlets. If the smoke wavers or blows, you’ve located a draft.
- Caulk: Use a tube of exterior caulk to fill any visible gaps between your window frames and your home’s siding. This simple fix prevents both air and water from getting in.
- Weatherstripping: Apply self-adhesive foam or rubber weatherstripping to the inside of door jambs and window sashes. This creates a tight seal when they are closed.
- Door Sweeps: Install a sweep on the bottom of your exterior doors to block cold air from flowing underneath the gap.
Protect from Above: Roof, Gutters, and Ice Dams
Your roof and gutters are your home’s first defense against snow and ice. A quick inspection now can prevent major headaches later.
From the safety of the ground, use binoculars to inspect your roof for any missing, cracked, or curling shingles. If you spot damage, it’s wise to call a professional roofer before a small issue becomes a serious leak.
Next, clean out your gutters. Gutters filled with leaves and debris can’t drain properly when snow melts. This blockage can lead to ice dams—thick ridges of ice at the roof’s edge that force water back under your shingles and into your home, causing serious damage to ceilings and walls.
Stay Safe and Warm: Chimney and Fireplace Care
A cozy fire is a winter highlight, but only if your fireplace is safe. The National Fire Protection Association recommends having your chimney professionally swept and inspected annually. A chimney sweep will remove creosote, a flammable byproduct of burning wood, and check for any cracks or blockages that could pose a fire hazard.
Prevent a Freeze: Protecting Your Plumbing
A burst pipe is one of the most destructive and expensive winter mishaps. Water expands when it freezes, and the pressure can rupture pipes, leading to major flooding.
Shut Down Outdoor Water
- Hoses & Sprinklers: Disconnect, drain, and store all garden hoses. If you have an in-ground sprinkler system, shut off its water supply and have the lines professionally blown out with an air compressor to remove all remaining water.
- Exterior Faucets: Locate the shut-off valve for each outdoor spigot (usually in a basement or crawl space) and turn it to the “off” position. Then, go outside and open the faucet to drain any trapped water from the pipe.
Insulate Vulnerable Pipes
Pipes in unheated areas like attics, crawl spaces, and basements are vulnerable to freezing. The risk increases dramatically once the outside air temperature drops to 20°F or below. Wrap these pipes in foam pipe insulation sleeves. This is an inexpensive and easy DIY task that provides excellent protection.
Smart Energy-Saving Tips
Beyond sealing drafts, a couple of small adjustments can help you save on heating costs.
- Reverse Your Ceiling Fan: Most ceiling fans have a switch to reverse the blade direction. In winter, set your fan to run clockwise on low speed. This pushes warm air that has collected near the ceiling back down into the living space.
- Manage Your Thermostat: For an ideal balance of comfort and savings, set your thermostat to 68°F when you are home. The Department of Energy estimates you can save up to 10% a year by turning it back 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day, such as when you’re at work or asleep.
Be Ready for Anything: Your Storm Readiness Kit
A severe winter storm can knock out power for hours or even days. Prepare an emergency kit so your family can weather the storm safely.
- Water (one gallon per person, per day for at least three days)
- Non-perishable food (canned goods, protein bars, dried fruit)
- Flashlights and extra batteries for every family member
- A battery-powered or hand-crank weather radio
- First-aid supplies and a week’s supply of any prescription medications
- Warm blankets, sleeping bags, and extra layers of clothing
- Rock salt or a pet-safe ice melt
- Sturdy snow shovels
Your Weekend Winterizing Action Plan
Feeling motivated? Here’s a quick-start plan you can tackle this weekend:
- Saturday Morning: Clean all gutters and inspect the roof from the ground. Test your smoke and CO detectors and replace their batteries.
- Saturday Afternoon: Disconnect hoses and shut off exterior faucets. Install foam insulation on any exposed pipes in your basement or crawl space.
- Sunday Morning: Replace your furnace filter and reverse the direction of your ceiling fans.
- Sunday Afternoon: Go on a draft hunt. Apply weatherstripping and caulk to leaky windows and doors.
A little preparation goes a long way. By tackling these tasks now, you can relax and enjoy the winter, knowing your home is ready for whatever the season brings.
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