Winterizing Your Home

Your home is your most important investment. What most people don’t realize is that a house goes through a lot wear and tear during the winter months. Damage can build up year over year and can cause cracks in your foundation and other major problems. If you take the following steps to winterize your home, you’ll prepare your home and save money in the long run.

Plumbing

Frozen pipes are one of the most common problems that people experience each winter. Start by draining all of your garden hoses and air conditioning pipes. If your air conditioner has a water shut off valve, make sure to turn it off.

Look around your house for exposed pipes and insulate them with pre-slit foam pipe covers. Make sure you know where the emergency shut off valve is for your house, just in case you need it.

Furnace and Fireplace

Both your furnace and your fireplaces will get a workout during the cold winter months. Make sure they are in good working order before the first snowfall. Call a HVAC specialist to inspect your furnace and all of the ducts. Buy furnace filters and change them out every month. Clear out the flammable material around your furnace to prevent fires.

Call a chimney sweep to get your fireplace cleared out. If you haven’t already, cap the top of your chimney to prevent birds and debris from coming down into your fireplace. Check to be sure your damper opens and closes securely. Inspect the mortar around the bricks and make any repairs before you start using the fireplace.

Doors, Windows, Foundation and Attic

Look for gaps or cracks around your windows and doors. Be sure to check the frames externally as well as internally. Use weather stripping where it’s needed. Repair or replace cracked windows and install your storm windows. You’ll also want to remove your summer screens and store them in a secure, dry place for the winter.

Walk around your home and inside the basement to check your foundation for cracks. While you’re in the basement, you can protect the windows down there with plastic shields. Rake away all the leaves and debris from around your home and look for cracks. If you find any, seal them with commercial crack sealer. Don’t make the mistake of leaving small cracks alone. Some vermin can sneak through cracks as thin as a dime!

If you have an attic, now is the time to add extra insulation. Adding insulation to your attic will reduce your energy costs over the coming months. It will also stop warm air from creeping to your roof and causing ice dams. Look for any missing or damaged shingles on your roof and repair or replace them.

Downspouts and rain gutters

Clean out your gutters and downspouts by hand and then make sure they are clear by running water through the system. You can also install leaf guards on the gutters and extensions on the downspouts so that water is emptied away from your home.

In addition to these tips, have all of your cold weather equipment (like a snow blower) serviced so you’ll be ready to meet winter head on!