Winterizing your home is more than keeping cold air out and warm air in. A properly winterized house ensures that you and your family stay warm and comfortable as the temperatures dip. By sealing holes, insulating plumbing and checking for damage, you’ll save money on heating costs and reduce the risk of cold related home repairs.
Here are some quick tips to get you ready for frost, ice and snow.
- If you have any exterior plumbing, shut off faucets and let pipes and hoses drain. Bring in your hose and cover the spigot with a foam protector. This will ensure your hose doesn’t develop rips or tears over winter and will keep your spigot from freezing. Water that’s trapped in pipes can freeze and crack, causing leaks within walls.
- Clean your gutters of leaves and debris. This will ensure melting ice will flow freely away from your house instead of expanding and breaking inside your gutter or downspout. If possible, install a gutter guard mesh to help keep larger debris from collecting in the gutter.
- Trim branches near your house and on your property. The windy season often brings rotten branches and limbs down. By trimming problem trees ahead of time, you’ll avoid issues later in the year.
- Seal and fill cracks around doors and windows to keep cold air out and warm air in. Weather stripping and caulk are low cost ways to save big in your heating bill. If you have older single pane windows, affix plastic film to keep cold air out. For drafty doorways, use door sweets, weather stripping and draft snakes.
- Gather your snow melting and moving supplies near entryways. Wintery weather can appear overnight. By having shovels and snow melting chemicals ready, you’ll ensure safe navigation around the exterior of your house, allow for commuters to get to work on time, and keep your pet from having a potty accident in the house.
- Other quick projects include checking and filling cracks in the driveway and the foundation, ensuring exterior vents open and close freely, insulating the basement and attic and servicing your heating system.
We have many of the materials you need to get winter ready. Pop on by and get started today!