That chill in the air means it’s time to start drinking hot chocolate, break out those fluffy blankets, and get the fireplace going—oh, and get your home ready for the colder weather to come!
While winterizing your home isn’t quite as enjoyable as snuggling up to a crackling fire with your sweetheart, it’s extremely important to keep your house in good shape. The good news is it doesn’t have to take tons of time or effort—it just requires paying attention to a few key items.
Protect your pipes
Depending on how severe your winters are, you may need to give your plumbing some extra insulation this time of year.
This is especially true if your home will be vacant for any length of time, as water that sits in pipes for a long period is liable to freeze and thaw repeatedly—and that’s what causes leaks and breakage.
If you get freezing temperatures frequently overnight, it’s a good idea to let your faucets drip to keep the water running, and less prone to freezing.
You can also add insulation sleeves to pipes, caulk any cracks around pipes to prevent cold outdoor air from seeping in, and keep a heating source running inside your home. And an added bonus? Looking for cracks might inspire you to declutter your home while you’re at it, so you can locate those cracks more easily!
Add or replace weatherstripping to doors and windows
If you notice cold drafts coming in through doors and windows, you may need to add or replace your weatherstripping.
These rubber insulating strips prevent cold air from coming in, and warm air from leaving, which can prevent your home from losing energy—and therefore, decrease your energy costs.
Take the right precautions and you keep your home toasty and warm.
Check your attic and insulate if necessary
Most of the heat loss in a home occurs through the attic, so it’s always a good idea to check your attic space for inadequate insulation or cracks that are allowing heat to escape.
Some attics will be easy to insulate as a DIY project, but especially large ones, or attics with significant damage, will require a home remodeler. Be sure to get quotes from at least three remodelers before hiring one for your project.
Clean your chimney
A cozy fire can become extremely un-cozy if your chimney isn’t allowing the smoke to escape.
And it’s not just a nuisance—it’s a serious fire hazard. Chimneys should be checked and cleaned seasonally to ensure there’s no buildup on the bricks that could start a fire.
Another thing chimney sweeps will check for are blockages, like animal nests, and structural damage that may need attention.
Clean your gutters
Clean gutters are essential during the wintertime, especially if you live in an area that gets snow or freezing rain.
If snowmelt cannot escape from your roof through the gutter—in other words, if your gutters are blocked by leaves and debris—then water can sit on your roof and in your gutters and re-freeze and thaw over and over. This can cause damage to your gutters and even cause roof leakage if snow and ice are allowed to sit on your roof for extended periods of time.
Winterizing your home is one of the easiest ways to avoid major maintenance or structural problems down the line. Get these tasks out of the way now, and you’ll be ready for spring cleaning before you know it!