As temperatures drop and winter is on the horizon, it’s crucial that you prepare your home for the impending colder months. Proper winterization not only helps keep your home cozy and safe, but it can also prevent costly repairs and reduce energy bills, which is a win-win when you want to have your heater cranked. Whether you’re dealing with harsh snowstorms or mild winters, there are critical maintenance tasks that every homeowner should tackle before the temperature drops.
Here are eight essential maintenance tips to prepare your home for the elements this winter.
1. Inspect and Clean Your Heating System
A properly functioning heating system is integral for maintaining comfort during the winter. Whether your home is equipped with a furnace, boiler, or heat pump, it’s important to inspect and clean your system before the cold weather sets in.
Maintenance Tips:
Schedule an annual HVAC inspection
Having a professional inspect your heating system ensures it operates properly and efficiently before it needs to go into overdrive in the winter. Technicians can help identify potential issues, such as worn-out components or airflow blockages, before they become expensive repairs.
Replace or clean filters
Clogged air filters are bad for several reasons. They not only reduce your HVAC’s efficiency, forcing it to work harder and consume more energy, but they can also drastically increase your energy bills.
Replace filters about every 30- 90 days, depending on your system and air filter type. This is especially important before winter to keep your system running smoothly. We set a recurring calendar reminder for this to ensure we are on top of it!
Check the thermostat
Ensure that your thermostat works properly. If you don’t have one, think about installing a smart thermostat before winter, to create a customizable temperature system.
2. Seal Windows and Doors
A drafty window during the peak of winter can be bone-chilling. Drafty windows and doors can also cause your heating system to work overtime as cold air seeps into your home. Properly sealing these areas not only improves comfort but also reduces energy bills.
Maintenance Tips:
Apply weatherstripping
Weatherstripping is an easy way to seal gaps around windows and doors. It’s available in various materials, including foam, felt, and rubber, and can be installed in minutes.
Caulk windows
Check for any cracks or gaps in the caulking around your windows. If the existing caulking is cracked or peeling, remove it and apply new caulk to create a tight seal.
Install door sweeps
Door sweeps prevent drafts from coming in under doors. They’re inexpensive and easy to install on exterior doors, especially those that open to unheated spaces like garages or basements. They are also a great addition for a sound barrier from one area to another.
3. Clean and Inspect Gutters
Gutters help direct excess water away from your home’s foundation. During winter, clogged gutters can cause ice dams, which prevent melting snow from draining properly. This can result in water damage to your roof and home’s interior.
Maintenance Tips
Clear debris
Remove twigs, leaves and other trash or debris from your gutters and downspouts. If debris is left to accumulate, it can create blockages that cause water to back up and freeze.
Inspect for damage
Inspect all of your gutters for signs of damage, such as sagging, rust, or holes. Repair or replace damaged sections immediately to ensure they function properly throughout the winter.
Ensure proper drainage
To prevent flooding or foundation damage, make sure that downspouts are sending water at least 3-4 feet away from your home’s foundation.
4. Check the Roof for Damage
After you have cleaned your gutters, it is time to check on your roof. Your roof serves as the first line of defense against winter weather. Ensuring that it’s in good condition can prevent leaks, ice dams, and other issues caused by snow and freezing rain.
Maintenance Tips
Inspect shingles
Look for cracked, loose, or missing shingles that could allow water to penetrate your home. Replace any damaged shingles to maintain a watertight roof.
Examine flashing
Flashing is the material that seals gaps around chimneys, vents, and skylights. Check the flashing for cracks or gaps, and reseal or replace it as needed.
Clear roof debris
Just like the gutters, remove branches, leaves and anything else from the roof to prevent any excessive moisture buildup, which can lead to leaks or mold growth.
5. Protect Pipes from Freezing
Frozen pipes can cause major damage, including burst pipes and costly water damage. To prevent your pipes from freezing, take steps to insulate and protect them before temperatures drop below freezing.
Maintenance Tips
Insulate exposed pipes
Pipes located in unheated areas like attics, garages, or basements are particularly vulnerable to freezing. Use foam pipe insulation to wrap and protect these pipes from vulnerabilities.
Disconnect and drain hoses
Disconnect any summer garden hoses from outdoor faucets, and drain the faucets to prevent water from freezing and expanding in the pipes. Consider installing frost-proof outdoor faucets for added protection.
Leave faucets dripping
During particularly cold spells, leave faucets slightly dripping to keep water flowing through the pipes, which helps reduce the risk of freezing.
6. Check Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Winter increases the use of heating systems, fireplaces, and space heaters, which also heightens the risk of house fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s essential to ensure that your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly.
Maintenance Tips
Test alarms
Test all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to confirm they are working properly. Replace any batteries if needed, and consider upgrading to detectors with a long-life lithium battery.
Install detectors in key areas
Make sure you have smoke detectors installed in each bedroom, and place carbon monoxide detectors near sleeping areas and in rooms with any fuel-burning appliances, such as furnaces or fireplaces.
Replace outdated detectors
If your detectors are over 10 years old, replace them with new models to ensure optimal performance.
7. Insulate Your Home
Proper insulation is a key component for keeping your home warm in the winter. It helps retain heat and prevents cold air from seeping in, and making your heating system work harder.
Maintenance Tips
Check attic insulation
Heat rises, and if your attic isn’t properly insulated, you could be letting lots of heat escape through the roof. Consider adding extra insulation to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature and reduce energy costs.
Insulate walls and floors
In addition to the attic, ensure that your walls and floors are well-insulated, especially in older homes where insulation may be lacking.
Seal gaps in the basement
If your basement is unheated, seal gaps around windows and the foundation to prevent cold air from creeping into your living spaces.
8. Maintain Your Fireplace and Chimney
If you use a fireplace for warmth, it also needs to be inspected regularly. A poorly maintained fireplace or chimney can increase the risk of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Maintenance Tips
Clean the chimney
Have your chimney cleaned and fully inspected by a professional before using it in the winter. Creosote buildup in chimneys can cause dangerous chimney fires if not properly cleaned.
Check the damper
Make sure the damper functions properly, and keep it closed when the fireplace isn’t in use to prevent cold air from entering your home.
Stock up on firewood
If you plan to use your fireplace frequently, make sure you have enough seasoned firewood on hand. Wet or unseasoned wood creates excess smoke and soot, which can clog the chimney.
Winter-ize Your Home Now
Preparing your home for winter is essential for keeping it safe, warm, and energy-efficient throughout the season.
By following these eight maintenance tips, you can avoid costly repairs, reduce energy consumption, and protect your home from the harsh winter elements.
You might also be interested in: Summer Home Maintenance Checklist
