Preparing your home for the cold months of the year is a necessary and practical approach for homeowners. Winterizing your home is an excellent way to safeguard it against the harsh effects of cold weather and to cut down on high energy expenses.
It’s an annual routine that shouldn’t be underestimated. The winter weather, including snow, rain, ice, and wind, can test your home’s resilience. Yet, being proactive with preventative measures can help protect one of our greatest assets – our home.
Winterization measures are easy to execute – and most importantly, budget-friendly, particularly when weighed against potential damages and costly repairs that could result if these steps aren’t taken.
Why Winterize Your Home?
Winterizing your home is one of the best ways to protect your home from the extreme cold weather. It is also a great way to help reduce energy bills and keep your home warm and cozy during the cold months of the year.
Winterizing your home typically starts in the early fall and needs to be done before the first deep freeze of the season.
The Best Ways to Winterize Your Home
Inspect Your Fireplace and Chimney
Nothing screams winter more than a cozy brick fireplace. However, before lighting the first fire of the season, call in the pros for an annual inspection. Doing so will ensure the fireplace is free from residue, soot, or debris. You can help by vacuuming or sweeping out any ash in the firebox from the previous season.
A chimney sweeping services will perform a thorough cleaning. Neglecting this kind of maintenance can pose a fire and safety risk.
Don’t Plan To Use The Fireplace for Winter?
Consider a chimney balloon if you don’t intend to use the fireplace. It’s a device that inflates in the fireplace just above the damper and helps prevent cold drafts from entering into your home by sealing off the space.
Even if the rest of your home is well-sealed, a chimney introduces a substantial opening in the room, providing a pathway for cold drafts to infiltrate your heated living areas.
Upgrade to a Smart Thermostat
As technology grows, so do the tools available to homeowners. Swapping your old thermostat for a smart programmable one is practical. It allows you to customize and control your heating and cooling schedule to regulate the temperatures in your home more efficiently.
In customizing your thermostat, you avoid any unnecessary or excess use. A smart thermostat is one of the best ways to reduce the overload on HVAC system and lower your energy usage and bills.
Annual Gutter Check
As part of your winter preparations, keeping your gutters clean is crucial. Gutter systems help to protect your home’s exterior by redirecting water and snow away from your roof. They prevent water from accidentally seeping in and causing damage.
To avoid clogs and blockages, perform a routine check and clean your gutters to remove leaves and debris. Gutter cleaning should be done at least once or twice a year. A good rule of thumb is to do it after the last leaves have fallen.
Prepare The Roof
Like the gutter, your roof protects your home’s exterior. Inspecting your roof for signs of wear and tear, such as broken or missing shingles, damaged flashing, or general deterioration, can help avoid future damage.
Be sure to clear away leaves, pine needles, dirt, and other debris from the roof as well.
Check on Your Pipes
Insulating all the pipes inside and outside your home that may be vulnerable to freezing can prevent frozen pipes. You will need to remove all garden hoses connected to your home and turn off the water supply to outdoor spigots, which will help prevent freezing and expansion of the pipes.
For interior house pipes, you will want to maintain a steady, slow flow of water in a few faucets to safeguard against freezing and potential bursts. This is especially necessary when the temperature drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. You can further protect the pipes beneath kitchen and bathroom sinks by leaving the cabinet doors open to circulate warm air near and around the pipes. It will further help to minimize any freezing.
Seal Holes, Cracks, and Gaps
The act of weatherstripping is essential in the winterizing process. It’s the process of sealing any open holes, cracks, or gaps that might be in your home, often around windows and doors. Weatherstripping serves a dual purpose, helping to prevent cold air from infiltrating and heat escaping, keeping your energy bills lower.
To best winterize your home, you need to weatherstrip by applying caulking to cover any openings and cracks and install draft guards and door sweeps at the base of your doors to help block any cold drafts. You can also buy strips to temporarily apply to these gaps for the season.
Insulate The Attic
The attic also plays an integral part in winterizing your home. Often, in most homes, there’s either a lack of insulation or insufficient insulation in the attic, which can impact the circulation of air throughout your home. Proper insulation can prevent heat from escaping.
Make sure to take the time to inspect the attic vents, search for leaks, and assess the insulation.
Cover Outdoor Furniture and Equipment
Cold temperatures and extreme weather can be rough on outdoor furniture and barbeque grills. And since you will unlikely be using your backyard for entertainment during the winter months, it’s best to protect your stuff.
The best way to protect your patio furniture and outdoor grill from the cold is to either cover them with weatherproof covers or bring them inside by storing them in a garage, basement, or shed.
Clean up The Yard
While you may only spend a little time outside unless you enjoy the fire pit, keeping your yard clean is still essential. This includes trimming your trees, eliminating dead and overhanging branches, and removing all yard debris. Extreme weather, including snow and wind, can help weaken trees and break branches. If the branches break, they could fall, posing a real risk to your property, vehicles, or personal safety.
In addition, take the time to bring indoor plants inside before the onset of the first cold spell. As a rule of thumb, aim to relocate them indoors before temperatures drop below 45 degrees.
HVAC System Maintenance
Replacing an HVAC system is expensive. Proper maintenance is much more cost-effective. Therefore, before you head into the winter season, ensure your heating system is operating efficiently by thoroughly inspecting or replacing the furnace filter. HVAC filters should be replaced every three months.
A clean heating and cooling system will enhance your system’s performance, and a clogged filter filled with lint and dust will obstruct airflow, causing your system to work overtime to heat your home. If you need to hire a technician to inspect your HVAC or suspect there may be an issue, you must schedule this kind of service appointment beforehand. During the height of the winter months, there is often a lack of availability and longer wait times with these service technicians.
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector Test
Residential fires and carbon monoxide leaks tend to be more prevalent during the winter months, making it essential to ensure the functionality of all your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Be sure to perform monthly checks and replace batteries as necessary.
Winter Ready Window Treatments
Appreciating the importance of a good window treatment to protect against cold weather is important. Even the most well-sealed windows can feel chilly during the winter months.
To help winterize your home, replace lightweight summer curtains with thermal lined curtains, insulated blinds, or drapes for added insulation. These window treatments can help to reduce the cold draft from coming into your home. You can also seal off particularly drafty windows with a plastic sealing kit.