Prepping your home for winter is essential to protect it from the cold and prevent unnecessary stress, plus costly damage. Here’s a guide to help you get ready.

Inspect and Seal Drafts

Check windows and doors: Inspect for drafts and seal them with weather stripping or caulking. Door sweeps are weatherstripping device that seal the gap between the bottom of a door and the threshold, preventing cold air from seeping in.

Insulate outlets: Use foam gaskets for outlets on exterior walls to prevent heat loss.

Service Your Heating System

Furnace maintenance: Get your furnace or boiler inspected by a professional to ensure it’s working efficiently. You do not want an old, overworked furnace to break down during the holidays.

Replace air filters: Change the filters in your furnace to improve air quality and efficiency. Most people do not replace filters as often as they should!

Test the thermostat: Make sure your thermostat works correctly and consider upgrading to a programmable or smart thermostat for better control. Having the ability to program and adjust your home's temperature from your phone is both convenient and efficient. Hooray technology.

Protect Pipes from Freezing

Insulate exposed pipes: Wrap pipes in unheated areas—we're talking basements and attics—with insulation to prevent freezing. Burst pipes can lead to flooding, which is not something you want to deal with.

Drain outdoor faucets: Turn off outdoor water supplies and drain hoses and faucets to avoid burst pipes. Or, install Aquor's frost-free House Hydrants and winterize by simply unplugging—no foam covers needed! Regardless, make sure your pipes are properly insulated.

Leave cabinets open: In very cold areas, keep kitchen and bathroom cabinets open to allow warm air to circulate around pipes.

Check the Roof and Gutters

Inspect for damage: Look for missing or damaged shingles and repair them before snow arrives.

Clean gutters: Remove leaves and debris from gutters to prevent ice dams, which can cause water damage. What exactly is an ice dam? It's a ridge of ice that forms along the edge of a roof, preventing melting snow from draining.

Check attic insulation: Make sure your attic is well-insulated to prevent heat from escaping and melting snow on the roof, leading to, you guessed it, ice dams.

Chimney and Fireplace Maintenance

Clean the chimney: Have your chimney professionally cleaned to remove soot and blockages. Gotta make sure Santa has a clear path!

Check the damper: Ensure the fireplace damper opens and closes properly to prevent drafts. As cozy as fireplaces can be, they can also make your home colder if not maintained and used properly.

Reverse Ceiling Fans

Change fan direction: Set ceiling fans to rotate clockwise at a low speed to push warm air downward, improving heating efficiency. On conventional fans, the switch is usually located on the housing assembly near the pull string or cord. Some modern fans have a remote control with a button for reversing blade rotation. (Not all fans are designed to be reversible.)

Prepare for Snow and Ice

Stock up on supplies: Make sure you have snow shovels, salt, or ice melt ready for snowstorms. These supplies tend to sell out once the first big snow hits, so make sure you get yours well in advance. 

Service snow removal equipment: Test snow blowers and have them serviced if needed. Snow blowers aren't necessary, but can make your life a whole lot easier. 

Install snow guards: On sloped roofs, consider adding snow guards. The guards help prevent avalanching snow and ice. They can function as cleats to hold and then break up the snow as it melts. Nice.

Check Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors

Replace batteries: Make sure all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors have fresh batteries. This is an important task regardless of the season.

Test alarms: Ensure security alarms and cameras are functioning properly to keep you and your home safe. The holiday season usually comes along with more deliveries and brand new material goods, which unfortunately provoke theft. Having a dog or two with a deep bark doesn't hurt! Just don't allow potential thieves to see how cute and harmless Fluffy actually is. 

Inspect Insulation

Check walls and crawl spaces: Ensure your home’s insulation is adequate, especially in older homes. Proper insulation helps maintain warmth and reduces heating costs. You're not paying to heat the outdoors.

Trim Trees and Branches

Cut overhanging limbs: Trim any branches that could fall on your home or power lines during winter storms, taking into account the direction wind typically travels.

Following these steps will help ensure your home is well-protected and ready for the colder months, so you can relax and enjoy the holidays, plus have some fun in the snow.