As the cold weather approaches, it’s important to take some time to winterize your home. Taking preventative steps can save you money on energy bills, prevent damage from occurring, and keep your home comfortable all winter long. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk through all the key steps you should take to fully prepare your home for the coming winter months.
Inspect and Service the Furnace One of the most important systems in your home is the furnace, which provides warmth and comfort all winter. It’s critical that your furnace is in good working order before cold weather sets in. Here are the key maintenance tasks:
- Replace the air filter. A dirty filter will restrict airflow and cause your system to work harder. Install a clean filter once a month during heavy-use seasons.
- Professional servicing. Hire an HVAC technician for a tune-up to ensure your furnace is running safely and efficiently. They will check and adjust components like the blower motor, ignitor, flue pipes, and perform a full inspection. This usually costs around $100.
- Inspect the ductwork. Check for leaks or separations that can reduce efficiency. Use metal tape to seal any loose connections or tears.
- Bleed radiators. If you have hot water or steam radiators, bleed any trapped air out through the valve to ensure proper heat distribution.
These simple furnace maintenance steps will save on heating costs and prevent problems down the road.
Insulate Pipes, Attics, Walls and Basements Adding insulation is one of the most cost effective ways to keep your home warmer in winter. Target these key areas:
- Uninsulated pipes. Wrap any exposed water pipes with specially designed foam tubing insulation. This prevents freezing.
- Attics. If less than 10 inches of insulation is present, consider adding more batt or loose fill insulation. This keeps heat inside the living spaces below.
- Exterior walls. Add insulation by removing exterior siding, drilling holes, and blowing in loose cellulose or foam. This is more labor intensive but very effective.
- Basements. Wrap basement pipes and ducts with insulation. For unfinished basements, consider framing walls and adding batt or spray foam insulation. Air seal the sill plate and rim joists as well with caulk or foam. The basement is part of the building envelope and should be included when planning insulation projects. Proper insulation will keep basements warmer and prevent pipes from freezing.
Sealing air leaks with caulk and weatherstripping Air leaks can add up allowing valuable heated air to escape outside. Seal by:
- Caulking cracks and gaps in the building exterior with silicone or latex caulk
- Applying weatherstripping made of foam, rubber, felt or vinyl to doors and windows to stop drafts
- Using rubber sealant on larger gaps for a flexible, waterproof barrier that prevents air leakage.
- Installing storm windows over single pane windows or replacing with energy efficient dual pane windows The goal is to seal all penetration points where warm interior air can mix with cold exterior air. Focus on areas like windows, exterior doors, pipes or wiring holes, recessed lights in insulated ceilings, attic hatches, baseboards, and electrical outlets. Use spray foam for larger gaps. Proper sealing can reduce heating costs by up to 20%.
Shutting Off and Draining Outdoor Faucets/Pipes Any pipes or faucets exposed to freezing air temperatures should be shut off and drained/disconnected before winter. This includes:
- Outdoor hose bibs. Turn off the shutoff valve inside and open the outdoor faucet to drain remaining water. Consider installing frost-free faucets which automatically drain with an automatic valve.
- Irrigation systems. Drain any above ground pipes and shut down and winterize the underground system.
- Disconnect garden hoses. Remove and store any garden hoses away for the winter.
If pipes freeze and burst, major water damage can occur. Taking a few minutes to properly winterize outdoor water systems can avoid catastrophe.
Prune Tree Branches While it may not seem directly related to winterizing, trimming back overgrown trees is important preparation for winter. Heavy snow and ice accumulation on tree branches can cause them to bend, break and fall. This can damage your home or anyone underneath.
- Inspect trees and prune any long branches overhanging your house. Remove dead or dying branches as these are most likely to break off. Hire an insured tree care professional if the branches are high or the job seems dangerous.
- Consider installing snow guards over gutters. Brackets help hold snow on the roof instead of letting it slide off in one huge avalanche onto people or objects below.
Getting your trees and gutters ready before snow season is wise for safety and preventing costly damage.
Reverse Ceiling Fan Direction Many people don’t realize that reversing your ceiling fans to run clockwise helps push warm air down towards the living space. A simple switch on the motor housing lets you change fan direction. Just remember to switch back to counter-clockwise in the Spring!
Service Snow Blowers/Roof Rakes If you live in an area with heavy winter snow, having the right snow removal equipment can save hours of back breaking work. Do a quick maintenance check before the snow flies:
- Snow blowers. Change the oil and spark plugs. Ensure it starts easily and review safety protocols. Gas up with fresh fuel to prevent gelling.
- Roof rakes. Clear excess snow loads off roofs with a specially designed roof rake before weight can cause damage.
- Snow shovels and salt/ice melt. Inspect supplies and restock items like shovels, salt and sand for traction. Rock salt or calcium chloride melt ice fastest down to lower temperatures.
Being ready to safely remove snow will keep outdoor surfaces clear all winter long.
Install Window Insulation Kits Window insulation film kits are a budget friendly way to provide an additional layer of insulation not included with most windows. The film consists of a thin, clear plastic sheet that insulates against cold drafts. Installation is easy with double sided tape and a hair dryer to tighten the film. Just remove it after winter. This upgrade stops efficiency robbing air leaks that make your heating system work too hard.
Schedule a Chimney Inspection If you utilize a fireplace, stove or furnace that vents with a chimney, annual inspection and cleaning is crucial safety maintenance. Creosote buildup inside chimneys causes a huge number of residential fires every winter. Hire a certified chimney pro to look inside with a special camera, clean the interior if necessary, and ensure structural integrity. They can also adjust or repair the flue cap if damaged allowing in water or critters. Taking action to prevent chimney fires keeps families safer.
Check Gutters and Downspouts Clogged rain gutters can mean big trouble when snow melts or ice dams form. When gutters overflow, water seeps into the exterior walls or pools near the foundation. This leads to very expensive damage from mold, cracked foundations, flooded basements and more.
In fall, clean debris out of gutters with a small trowel or scoop. Use a hose attachment sprayer to clear smaller leaves and dirt. Redirect any downspouts dumping water too close to the homes foundation which can saturate the soil. Make sure gutters are secure with spike and ferrules and have proper slope so water drains completely. Installing gutter guards provides added protection by deflecting leaves and debris while allowing rainwater to enter.
Taking action in advance prevents flooded basements and wet walls come spring!
Test Smoke/CO Detectors, Prep Fire Extinguishers With homes buttoned up tight against the cold, working fire and carbon monoxide detectors are your first line of defense if danger arises. Do a safety check of all home detectors before you really need them:
- Press test buttons to ensure proper alarm sound. Change batteries if needed.
- Vacuum any dust/cobwebs around units so they remain sensitive.
- Have an electrician move older detectors over 10 years old to updated, sealed battery models (They expire!).
- Check fire extinguishers are charged and ready if an emergency strikes. Show household members how to properly PASS – Pull pin, Aim nozzle, Squeeze handle, Sweep side to side.
This simple safety routine only takes a few minutes but can literally save your family’s lives.
Drain/Store Sprinkler System In regions where winter means below freezing temperatures, installed sprinkler systems require seasonal maintenance. Shut off interior water valves and open exterior drains to remove all remaining water from supply pipes. This prevents burst pipes and flooding damage if temperatures dip low enough to freeze water inside the system. Disconnect drain valves and backflow preventers. Consider covering above ground equipment with an insulating sprinkler cover available at hardware stores. Reverse the winterizing process in Spring after all chance of sub-freezing temperatures has passed. Taking a little time to winterize irrigation systems properly prevents thousands in repairs and unpredictable spring water bills from leaks.
Clean Out Dryer Vents/HVAC Filters Lint filled dryer vents are a major fire hazard as excess fluff builds up over time inside ventilation ductwork. Clogged HVAC air filters also restrict airflow forcing systems to work inefficiently. Tackle both maintenance items before winter kicks in fully:
Dryer Vents
- Disconnect the vent from exterior outlet/interior duct.
- Use a specialty dryer vent brush to scrub interior ducts clean of lint all the way to the blower.
- Vacuum lint from the exterior vent flap outside.
- Reconnect ducting and secure with metal tape if needed.
HVAC Filters
- Locate filter access door on central air units/furnace.
- Slide out old filter and replace with a new size matching filter. Use MERV 11 or higher pleated filters for best air quality.
- Mark the install date with a marker for easier reminder.
Taking an hour knock these routine cleaning tasks makes heating systems operate cleaner and safer all season long.
Conclusion Preparing a house for cold weather takes some effort but pays off all winter long through money saved on utilities and preventing weather damage from occurring. Use this comprehensive list to inspect and winterize all vulnerable areas of the home. Taking preventative action helps families stay comfortably warm despite blizzard conditions outside! Be sure to schedule any needed professional inspections early as service companies get very busy once winter weather hits in force. With climate change boosting uncertainty, get your home ready for dramatic cold AND increasing extreme weather events. Follow these best practices for staying one step ahead of winter nuisances like drafts, leaks and frozen pipes.
