Get Your Home Ready for Winter's First Big Chill by Using These Tips

So the holiday season is well underway and you've yet to complete your home winterization chores, eh? Well, no worries; there's still time to prepare for the official change of seasons on December 21st. So, throw on your trusty jacket and get ready to perform these important tasks.

Get Your Home Ready For The Winter Chill 

• Caulk and seal your windows. This can save you big bucks during the frigid weather to come. You may want to add thermal film to your windows to minimize heat loss. Some of the heavier grades can also protect your windows from heavy winds.

• Add insulation to your attic. This is an essential yet often-overlooked step in winter preparation, according to experts writing for US News. Rising heat can seep out of your attic and into the great outdoors, where it will do you little good.

• Install one of the newer programmable thermostats. The latest models have money-saving features unheard of just a few years ago. For example, many versions have artificial intelligence (AI) features that detect when the house is unoccupied, and reduce furnace output accordingly. Don't let that creep you out, though - that is, unless the thermostat starts talking to you.

• Check your refrigerator gaskets. We learned this nifty tip from the good folks at HGTV.com. It turns out that heated air can find its way into your fridge if the gasket is cracked or worn, forcing the compressor to work harder and causing premature product failure. So, give the seal a close check and replace if needed. That way, your food can keep its cool for less cost.

• Check your sump pump. This is an absolute must for those who have summer homes that stand bare over winter, but it's also a good idea for the rest of us. The sump pump keeps your basement nice and dry when the weather outside is precipitating its heart out, which can happen any time of year.

• Replace your door mat. Summer mats lack the extra absorbency needed to soak up winter muck, so upgrade your old one at the start of the cold season. You may want to add a boot scraper and an indoor mat to catch residual ice and snow.

• Protect shrubs and flowering trees by draping burlap around their roots and securing it with stakes and hardware staples.

• Add mulch to raised garden beds to protect seeds and roots lying dormant in the soil. Remove bulbs as needed and store in a warm, dry area until spring.

• Check your fencing for gaps, cracks, or structural weaknesses that could allow a curious pooch to get out or varmints like skunks and possums to get in.

• While you're at it, trim your tree limbs back to prevent one from crashing to the ground over the winter and possibly harming an outdoor pet or your home.

• Does your dog spend a lot of time outside in cold weather? If so, then an affordable kennel heater can make all the difference in the world to her health and comfort. You'll find models made for dog houses of all sizes online.

• Give your pool a good scrubbing to remove deposits that could lead to algae and other problems. Protect the pool with a quality cover from an established pool products retailer, both for its sake and to prevent outside pets from ending up in the freezing water during the winter.
• When it's all over, sink into your easy chair, kick up your feet, and congratulate yourself on a job well done.

There's still time to get your home ready for winter's first real blast. Use the tips in this post to keep you and your loved ones nice and toasty during the long, cold days and nights to come.