Prepping for the cold seasons is a little more complicated than setting out carved pumpkins or wreaths. As a homeowner, there are several things you need to do to ready your home for the chillier temps:
Drain your outdoor faucets.
Skipping this crucial step can result in major pipe damage during frozen temperatures. To avoid that, simply disconnect all of your outdoor water hoses and drain them.
Store your outdoor furniture away.
Just because the furniture is made for the outdoors doesn’t mean it can withstand hurricane conditions or snow and ice. You’ll likely get more than one summer season out of your furniture if you keep it in your garage or a storage shed during the colder months.
Have your chimney inspected.
We all love sitting by a warm fire in the fall and winter months. It’s also a cost-efficient way to heat your home. But without proper care, chimneys build up with soot and debris—and sometimes critters even build their nests in there! You want to ensure your chimney is clear to avoid chimney fires or bad smells in your home.
Check for drafts.
If you live in an older home, it’s likely your weatherstripping is due to be replaced around windows, doors, and air conditioners. This is an easy and inexpensive repair you can do on your own. You can also use caulk to fill in any cracks or holes where heat may seep out.
Test your detectors.
Because more people use their fireplaces in the winter, house fires are more common. You need to make sure your smoke and CO2 detectors are working properly and regularly change the batteries.
Clear out your gutters.
As soon as the last leaves of autumn have fallen, it’s a good idea to clean out your gutters. Leaves and other debris get packed into them and obstruct water and melting snow from flowing away from your home. If water cannot flow properly, you’re at risk of water damage to your roof, attic, and walls.
We know that you likely aren’t thinking about most of these winterization steps, and these definitely aren’t exciting projects. However, they are crucial to maintaining your home for years to come. Once they’re done, you can enjoy the holiday decorating and evenings around the fire knowing you’re prepared for any winter weather to come.