Winterizing Your Home

As days get shorter and nights get colder, it's the time to start preparing your home for the winter months.

Starting early can help you save money, as well as keep your home safe from winter-related damage and not feel rushed!

I suggest taking a lap around your home, this is something I typically do in the Fall and Spring. Checking for damage or places that need attention.

Exterior

This is the time of year bugs try to find warmth, spraying bug spray outside the windows and doors can be a good way to keep some spiders and boxelder bugs away.

As its starts to freeze at night, this is a good time to get your exterior water lines taken care of. Waiting too long could lead to a bursting pipe. Don't wait to take care of your outdoor plumbing!

• Flush out your sprinkler system. I just finished this last week with a large air compressor. I can be done yourself with the right equipment and knowledge, or you can hire a professional.

Tips: Don't forget to turn your water source! After flushing the outside lines, flush your line inside to make sure no water could freeze and burst your inside pipe. AND check to see if piping needs insulation.

• Drain your hoses and store them for the winter months.

• If you find openings around the hose bib, you can fill the area with insulation. Insulation will keep cold air from seeping into the walls.

• Look for any damage on your faucets. Open the tap to drain the lines. You can leave the faucets open until next spring. If your faucets have a back-flow preventer, you’ll need to disconnect it to the let the water drain.

• If your outdoor faucets have shut-off valves, close them.

• Check to see if your pipes are insulated properly, pipe insulation is your best friend especially if your faucets don’t have shut-off valves. Wrap your faucet with foam insulation and place a styrofoam cap on top. You can find everything you need to take care of your outdoor spigots at Menards, Ace, or Scheels Hardware.

• Attach a PVC pipe or non-collapsible hose to your outdoor water line.

If you have had issues of ice dams forming, I suggest installing heat cable on the roof and making sure attic vents are clear.

Check for missing shingles, this could lead to roof leaks due to melting snow and can be detected with quick visual inspection.

Clear your gutters of debris and leaves to help prevent ice buildup or other blockages that can cause leaks and damage to your home. Also, inspect your gutters this fall for rust or wear spots that can cause moisture to enter your home.

Treat your roof for moss before it starts raining too much.

This is something have recently learned about and have never actually seen myself, but disconnect and empty your rain barrels first so you don’t get moss treatment in your collected water.

Clear your patio or deck. Bring your outdoor rugs, patio furniture, umbrellas, sunshades and other accessories inside, and cover any furniture that is staying outside.

Plants and landscaping.

• If your potted houseplants were outside for the summer, bring them back inside before it gets cold.

• Assess your trees and decide if any need to be cut back before storms hit (especially ones hanging over the house). TIP: If you have trees near power lines, your power company may cut them back for free.

• Cover any sensitive in-ground plants with burlap or a thick layer of mulch.

• Clean up your garden. Cut back plants that have died down, remove annual plants that are spent, and dig up any bulbs that need to be stored inside for the winter.

• Seed the lawn.

• Sometime before the coldest winter temps hit, add a layer of hardwood mulch to all your flower beds. Mulching at this time of year helps regulate changes in soil temperature.

Prepare for the snow. Making sure your snowblower works or that you have a shovel. Stock up on salt and sand.

Outdoor cleaning checklist before cold months hit.

• Clean the grill.

• Clean out the mower before storing it away for the winter.

• Hose down air conditioner vents outside of the house.

• Cleaning up leaves from the yard. Remove any leaves and debris from the drains in front of your house, including any storm drains.

• Remove debris from basement window wells and cover them. A good time is after most of the leaves have fallen!

• Re-arrange and clean the garage. I always move the winter stuff towards the front for accessibility.

• If you have a hottub or pool and don't plan on using it this winter, empty and clean.

Interior

A few tips for lowering the heat bill!

• Check for any gaps that could cause air to seep out of your home (including doors, windows, light fittings, power sockets, and dryer vents, improperly sealed ductwork)

Many leaks can be fixed with weather stripping, caulk, foam strips or expanding foam spray. You can also use plastic on your windows. TIP: To check for leaks hold a lighter up close to doors and windows on a windy day to see if it flickers.

• Older homes may lack layers of insulation. You can cut down on this energy loss in the winter by adding extra padding to your attic. TIP: Try chopped cellulose, which is treated to repel insects and flames.

• Invest in a humidifier, not only will it moisten your skin, but it will also make your home feel warmer.

• Cooking with your oven can warm up your house!

• Opening your curtains on sunny days and letting. Try opening your south-facing curtains at sunrise to make the best use of this free form of solar energy. As the sun moves across the sky, close those curtains and open west-facing ones. Draw curtains and blinds at sunset to capture the heat as long as possible.

TIP: Hanging thick curtains can help keep cold air out.

• I don't have one myself, but I have seen people install an indoor dryer vent. Drying your clothes creates a lot of heat that is lost outside from your dryer. It's not a bad idea using an indoor dryer vent instead during the winter!

• Removing window screens and installing storm windows can be spendy but is a good way to keep the cold out.

• Check your heating system. Replace the air filter, turn on the heat and make sure the system is working correctly. You may want to have it professionally serviced and cleaned.

• Have your air ducts cleaned and checked for leaks. Dirty ducts can affect your indoor air quality at a time when you’re getting less fresh air in your home anyway. Duct leaks waste energy and add to your heating bill.

• Remove or cover your air conditioning units if they are AC only (not heat pumps).

• Placing area rugs can help warm the floor up bit, especially in the basement or on hard flooring.

• Wrapping your water heater in an insulating blanket will go a long way to keeping your water warmer longer and saving you money on your water heating bill.

TIP: This time of year could be a good time to flush your water heater.

• Close doors and heating vents to unused rooms, this is an easy way to redirect heat to the rest of the house where you need it most

• In very cold climates, you may want to cover your crawlspace vents with foundation vent plugs, just for the winter. Your vents need to be open most of the year, but in extreme cold you can cover them temporarily.

• Reverse your ceiling fans, you should see it spinning clockwise in the summer. But in the winter, you want it to spin counterclockwise.

Check to see if your water supply is insulated, you may want to wrap them in foam insulation. This will keep pipes from bursting.

Test your sump pump and look for signs of moisture. I always suggest buying a backup sump pump and having them both hooked up in case one fails.

If you aren’t planning to use your chimney, clean it and plug it with a chimney balloon to prevent air leaks. You can always deflate and remove the balloon if you decide to use your chimney later.

Check your detectors. ex. smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Spray a little powdered-graphite lubricant into each door lock (where the key goes), then turn the key in the lock. The powder (sold at hardware stores) lubricates the pins inside the lock to prevent sticking. Do this once a season. It helps prevent door locks from freezing.

Top off your fuel tank.

Stay safe!

Winter can be spendy for a homeowner. It might seem like a long list, but I promise it's worth it! It will help in preventing future damage and help you save money!!

I hope you have a safe winter! Don't forget to stock your cars with blankets and winter necessities as well!