How To Prepare Your Home for Winter
The cold weather has begun, so it won't be long before winter fully sets in! Just a bit of preparation can make for a much smoother snowy season. Here are our tips on how to prepare your home for winter.
1. Seal your home
Don’t let those brutal winds inside! Your home is your fortress against the cold, so make it as airtight as possible. Give your home a quick run-through, checking for both invisible and visible drafts. You can do this by holding a lit candle near the following areas:
- Windows
- Doors
- Vents and fans
- Plumbing areas
- Air conditioners
- Mail chutes
- Electrical and gas lines
If the candle flickers, you’ve got a draft.
Seal up all holes and reinforce existing points of entry with weather stripping. You can pick some up at a local hardware store. Follow the simple installation instructions, and you’ll keep that cold air out and the warm air inside—right where it belongs.
You can also caulk windows and doors to make sure they’re truly sealed against the cold.
2. Clean your gutters
If your gutters are clogged with wet leaves, they can freeze up and block the drainage, allowing melting ice and snow to seep into your roof and cause much damage slowly. You can do this chore on your own or hire a professional roofer to do the job for under $100.
3. Invest in a roof rake
It turns out raking isn't just for autumn! If you live in an area that sees a lot of snow each winter, your roof can sit under several feet of snow for a few weeks. All of that snow can get heavy, causing your roof to collapse.
Invest in a roof rake to help you clear the snow off your roof when it starts piling up. You don’t want your roof falling in during the coldest time of the year.
4. Reverse your ceiling fans
Flick the reverse switch on your ceiling fans to make the blades spin clockwise instead of counterclockwise. This will produce an updraft, which will push the rising hot air down so it can keep the entire room warm.
This is especially crucial in rooms with high ceilings, especially if they're two stories high. You might find that putting your ceiling fans to work allows you to crank down the thermostat by a couple of degrees to trim your energy bill this winter.
5. Prune your trees
Take a walk around your home’s exterior and inspect all trees and bushes near its façade. Look for low-hanging or loose branches that are close to your house. If you find any, prune them now so they don’t end up cracking from heavy snow or wind and causing damage to your home.
6. Take inventory of your emergency supplies
Don’t face empty store shelves days before the first big storm hits. Prepare now! Stock up on water, canned food, batteries, flashlights, and storm lanterns. You may also want to invest in a portable charger or power bank for some juice when the lights go out.
7. Turn off external faucets
As most homeowners know, winter approaching means you must unscrew your garden hose from the spigot and drain your sprinkler system to prevent freezing. This can be a bit of a complicated process, so it might be a good idea to call in a professional to do this properly.
8. Protect your pipes from freezing
Did you know that one burst pipe can cost over $5,000 in water damage?
Prevent your pipes from bursting with these simple steps:
- Keep your heat on, even when you’re not home. You don’t need to turn the thermostat all the way up when you’re out, but keep it on a moderately warm temperature so your pipes don’t freeze and burst - around 65 degrees is usually safe.
- Allow the faucets inside your home to drip during severe cold snaps so that the water flows through your cold pipes. Allowing the water to stay stagnant puts it at greater risk of freezing.
- Wrap any exposed piping to prevent freezing. You can find foam rubber or fiberglass sleeves for pipes and outdoor hose bibs at hardware stores.
9. Check your heating system
Crank up the heat before the cold blows in to check if everything is in working order. After turning on your heating system, walk through your home to check if every heating vent is blowing warm air. If anything needs repairs, tend to it now before it gets truly freezing.
We hope these tips helped you prepare for the winter and avoid costly energy or repair bills. Stay warm!
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