Preparing ourselves for winter is often difficult enough let alone preparing our home. However, investing time into prepping your home for the cold can be of huge benefit to your home and you. Low temperatures, snow and ice can seriously hurt your home, but with proper preparation, you can mitigate this. Once you winterize your home, you can spend time by the fire, make snow angels, go skating or plan a ski trip away without stressing about the health of your home . Here are steps you can take to be winter ready.
- Professionally service your furnace to check winter heat efficiency
- Check the home drainage
- Check for high water pressure/damaged fixtures to protect pipes/prevent waste
- Flush and insulate the hot water tank to remove sediment
- Drain the humidifier line and clean the fan
- Clean the fireplace/chimney
- Test the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
- Replace old thermostats with programmable ones to lower heating expenses
- Reverse the ceiling fans to make a heated updraft and to save on energy costs
- Inspect the insulation to keep your home warm
- Insulate the windows and doors to protect against drafts and high energy costs
- Consider installing storm windows and doors to help reduce heat loss
- Prevent door locks from freezing with powdered-graphite lubricant
- Protect the entryways, such as the mudroom, with indoor and outdoor mats
- Repair any damaged steps, masonry or handrails to protect you and your guests
- Inspect the outdoor lighting to help prevent slipping on walkways and driveways
- Check on the roof for loose shingles or flashing
- Protect the A/C unit with a sheet of plywood overtop with weighted stones
- Turn off all outdoor faucets/insulate pipes to prevent freezing
- Professionally drain the lawn-irrigation system/sprinklers
- Apply heating pads and/or insulated blankets to outdoor pipes and meters
- Clean gutters and use downspout extensions to protect the foundation
- Prevent ice dams to prevent and protect against meltwater
- Test your sump pump
- Stock up on salt, ice melt, sand, winter shovels and/or a snow blower
- Prepare for storms and outages with survival kits
- Consider a generator to maintain heat and lighting during outages
- Cover the patio furniture with a heavy tarp or put it in storage
- Store any seasonal tools, such as the lawn mower, to prevent rust
- Prune trees/shrubs in the late winter
- Mulch the flower beds to regulate the soil temperature and protect the plants
- Protect the flowerpots
- Trim tree branches to protect your house from debris
- Enjoy the winter
References
- Brougham, R. (2019, November 27). 30 Tasks for Your Winter Home Maintenance Checklist. Retrieved December 28, 2020, from https://www.familyhandyman.com/list/27-tasks-for-your-winter-home-maintenance-checklist/
- Esswein, P. M. (2013, February 01). 15 Ways to Prepare Your Home for Winter. Retrieved December 28, 2020, from https://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/real-estate/t029-s001-12-ways-to-prepare-your-home-for-winter/index.html
- Foreman, L. (2019, November 06). 5 Crucial Cold Weather Tips for Preparing Your House for Winter. Retrieved December 28, 2020, from https://www.houselogic.com/organize-maintain/home-maintenance-tips/5-crucial-cold-weather-tips-for-preparing-your-house-for-winter/
- Green, L. (2018, October 10). Eight Ways to Get Your Home Winter Ready. Retrieved December 28, 2020, from https://www.insurancehotline.com/resources/8-ways-to-get-your-home-winter-ready/
- Pierce, J. (2018, October 1). How to get your home ready for winter – The Washington Post. Retrieved December 28, 2020, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/?reload=true
- Zack, L. (2020, June 25). 10 Steps to Make Sure Your Home Is Ready for Winter. Retrieved December 28, 2020, from https://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/home-improvement/maintenance-repairs/winter-ready-home