The Weather Outside Is Frightful! Tips For Winterizing Your Home

If hot chocolate, a roaring fire, and a snuggly blanket sound like ecstasy to you, you’re probably a “winter person.” While picture-perfect snow may beckon, you need to prepare for the more practical side of cold weather so you aren’t caught unprepared. You can be confident that your home’s ready for winter by following these tips.

Plug Up Drafts

Don’t let your hard-earned money drift out of your home under your doors and around your windows. Use caulk or add weather-stripping to seal the cracks. Purchase an under-door draft stopper to keep heat from escaping during cold weather. You’ll be able to enjoy toasty comfort without passing out when you get your electric bill.

Service Your Heating Unit

Heat is hugely important when temperatures dip below freezing. Call in a professional to give your heating unit a once-over so you won’t be stuck without heat during the dead of winter. A small bill up front to have it serviced is a small price to pay to keep it functioning well, and may even save you money by decreasing heating costs and extending its life.

Clean Your Chimney

There may be old debris or even a bird’s nest in your chimney from the summer months. Don’t build that first fire before you have your chimney cleaned out and inspected by a certified chimney sweep. Failing to do this can cause a fire or leave your room filled with smoke.

Stock Up on “In Case Of” Items

Snowstorms can blow in quickly, leaving you stranded with no electricity or water. Make a run to your favorite big box store for candles, batteries, jugs of water, matches, an extra phone charger, and enough non-perishable food to last your family a week. Make sure you have gas to use in your outdoor grill if you need to cook on it, too.

Wrap Your Pipes and Water Heater

Busted pipes are no fun and can cause costly damage! Proactively minimize your risk of frozen pipes by wrapping them where they are close to your doors and windows. Purchase a water heater blanket and install that, too. Consider keeping your water dripping during the coldest nights of the season to keep them from freezing up.

Inspect Your Roof

Missing shingles can end up causing big leaks once a snowstorm hits. Give your roof a good look and repair any areas that look damaged, paying close attention to the sections around the vents.

Clean Out Your Gutters

While you, or your hired professional, are inspecting the roof, go ahead and clean out your gutters. Freeing the leaves and dirt that clog them during summer and fall helps melting snow drain off your roof the way it should.

Prep Your Winter Tools

Pull out your snow blower and shovels and inspect them to make sure they’re ready when you need them. Change the oil in your snow blower and check your shovels’ handles and blades for sturdiness. Replace them if they aren’t working or are damaged.

Reverse Your Ceiling Fans

Yes, ceiling fans help keep you cool in the summer, but they can also help maintain a warm and cozy home in the winter. Reverse the blades so they move clockwise, which pushes the heat down from the ceiling into your living space.

Protect Your Flooring

Your entryway flooring will take a beating during the winter, with muddy, snowy boots tromping over it every day. Add a rug made out of tough material for everyone to wipe their feet on. If you have room, add a rug outside, too, so visitors can wipe their feet before they cross your threshold.

Cover Your Patio Furniture and Grill

The elements can wreak havoc on your outdoor decor. Protect the investment you’ve made in deck or porch furniture by taking off and storing your cushions inside and covering the rest in a water-resistant tarp. Buy a grill cover to keep it protected and in working order for next year, too.

Yes, winter can be a wonderful, beautiful time of year. As a homeowner, you must take steps to make sure it’s also a safe time of year, and that winter issues don’t bring about bigger ones because you weren’t prepared. With a bit of work up front, the cold weather months can be as picture-perfect and enchanting as you hoped they’d be.