Winterize Your Home: Getting Ready for the Cold

Is your home ready for the winter?

Summer is gone, and before you know it, the harsh winter weather will quickly make its appearance. But before it gets too chilly outside, make sure your home is winterized so you can enjoy winter free of home repairs.

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Be Sure Doors and Windows Are Sealed

The most significant contributor to sky-high energy bills is leaky doors and windows that allow cold air to seep into your home. An easy way to be sure you don’t experience increased gas or power bills is to weatherstrip or caulk your windows and doors.

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Search for areas where you notice a gap between doors and window frames. During the warmer months, caulk can shrink, leaving substantial gaps which allow air into your home. After identifying any areas of concern, re-caulk them.

Protect The Pipes

Protecting your home’s pipes before winter is vital. The last thing any homeowner wants is frozen pipes leaving them without running water and with hazardous conditions outside.

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Homeowners should be ready to pay up to $2,000 per pipe in the event of a pipe burst. To avoid an expensive winter repair, insulate your pipes. Heat tape is an easy, inexpensive, and effective way to protect your pipes.

Get Your Heating System Ready

Before it gets too cold outside, turn your furnace on a couple of times to guarantee it is in operable condition. You don’t want to find out your heating system isn’t working the first freezing night of the year.

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It is important to never have anything within three to four feet around your heating unit. Constricting the airway is a surefire way to find yourself in need of repairs. Most furnaces have a lifespan between 15 to 25 years if maintained properly. 

Inspect the Fireplace and Chimney 

A dirty chimney is an absolute safety and health hazard. Check your chimney for cracks, water damage, and loose bricks. Make sure your chimney has been thoroughly inspected before lighting your fireplace.

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Chimney dampers can quickly get stuck dues to corrosion, rust, and debris. Because the damper controls airflow and smoke, a stuck damper causes smoke to fill up your home. Use a lubricant like WD-40 and a wire brush to clean and unstick the damper.

Take Care of Your Yard

Early November is the ideal time to prepare your lawn for the harsh winter. Although your lawn requires much less care during the winter months, it does need a little TLC. Making sure you have a lovely spring lawn takes only a little bit of work.

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Apply a winter fertilizer to your lawn before the weather begins to freeze. Winter fertilizers help preserve vital nutrients for your lawn to endure the harsh winter months.

During the winter months, lawns require minimal maintenance - but caring for your lawn is still necessary. To ensure a beautiful spring lawn, apply herbicides to weedy areas. If weed issues aren’t dealt with early on, they can create quite a problem in the spring.

Getting Your Home Ready for Winter

Use these simple, inexpensive tips to ensure you have a winter full of cheer instead of headaches and bills.