Bundle Up: How to Winterize Your Home

When the air starts to chill and winter weather makes itself at home for the season, homeowners like you must be prepared for anything that comes your way—from both an interior and exterior standpoint. There are a number of household tasks that you should complete to properly winterize your home, so let’s check out a few of the essentials.

Checklist for How to Winterize Your Home

Depending on the region you’re in, some of these items may or may not be necessary—it just varies based on how cold it gets in your area. However, one of the first things you should consider is protecting your pipes. When water freezes, it expands which can cause pipe ruptures and costly damages. In fact, pipes that run through exterior walls are particularly susceptible to this type of damage. To winterize your home and its pipes, you can seal any visible cracks and openings in the walls, attic, basement, or crawl spaces. You can also weatherstrip and caulk around doors and windows to help guard against the frigid temperatures.

Next when learning how to winterize your home, be mindful of your fireplace. Before lighting the first fire of the season, inspect the area for potential animal nests or debris buildup that may have accumulated since last year—leaving it untouched could be a serious fire hazard.

As you winterize your home’s interior, it’s important to think about the exterior of your home as well. Cleaning the gutters is an important part of this process. To prevent clogging, you must clean out all debris and foliage leftover from fall because clean gutters will allow melting snow to drain properly. If you’d like to learn more about our professional gutter cleaning services, contact us for a free quote—we’d be happy to help winterize your home.  

Stay Prepared

There are a number of other small things you should do to winterize your home, too. For example, prepare for winter’s frost by bringing in any sensitive outdoor plants or equipment. Also, consider replacing your furnace’s filter to optimize air flow. Lastly, if your area is prone to a few snow days each season, stock up on winter weather gear like a snow shovel, ice scrapers, sidewalk salt, flashlights, and maybe even a few extra blankets to keep in the car in case of emergency.

Leverage the Professionals

Whether you’re fairly familiar with how to winterize your home or you require some assistance, it’s always a good idea to lean on the experts for larger projects like gutter cleaning or window washing. Our team of highly-trained professionals are dedicated to bringing you quality service and customer satisfaction. Interested in our other tips for homeowners? Read our blog to get a year-round maintenance checklist. Or, if you’re uncertain about the importance of gutter cleaning this winter, check out our article about the long-term effects of clogged gutters—you may start to reconsider your position on the matter.

Regardless of where you live or how bad the winter gets in your area, it’s always a good idea to winterize your home to an extent. Doing so could save you time and money in the long run as an unexpected event could lead to costly repairs and damages. Protecting your home’s biggest assets starts with being on guard for whatever comes next.