When winter knocks on the door, it means the days are getting shorter, the wind’s getting a little extra bite, and it’s officially time to trade your iced coffee for hot cocoa. Before you curl up with your favourite blanket and hibernate till spring, let’s talk about getting your home winter-ready.
A little preparation can save you a lot of cold-weather headaches later. Here are some essential winter home prep tips to keep things warm, safe, and running smoothly all season long.
Seal up Drafts and Air Leaks
When you notice that chilly breeze sneaking in under the door or around your windows, your heat escapes. Not only does this make your house feel colder, it also makes your furnace work harder, which means higher bills. Take a weekend to inspect your doors and windows.
Use weather stripping, caulk, or even those old-school draft snakes to seal up any leaks. Don’t forget places like attic hatches, outlets on exterior walls, and baseboards.
Ensure Your HVAC Is in Good Shape
Whether you’ve got a furnace, heat pump, or some other system, it needs to be in top shape before the cold sets in. If you live in places that see real winters, such as Columbus, Ohio, for example, this is not something to skip. You don’t eat your furnace deciding to quit on you during a snowstorm.
Book a professional HVAC check-up by searching for furnace repair in Columbus Ohio. They are easy to find and can help you tune your system, change filters, check for carbon monoxide leaks, and make sure everything is running efficiently.
Clean Your Gutters
Nobody likes cleaning gutters, but clogged gutters can cause major issues in the winter. When snow and ice melt, the water needs somewhere to go. If your gutters are blocked, it could overflow, freeze, and cause ice dams on your roof.
That leads to leaks and water damage inside your house. Grab a ladder or hire a professional if height isn’t your thing and get those gutters cleared out.
Stock up On Winter Essentials
You can beat the winter rush that inevitably occurs by stocking up early on things like ice melt or sand, snow shovels or snow blowers, emergency candles, batteries, flashlights, warm blankets, nonperishable food, and bottled water, especially if your area gets power outages. Even if winter doesn’t hit hard, you’ll be glad you’re ready.
Reverse Your Ceiling Fans
Most ceiling fans have a switch that reverses the direction of the blades. In summer, you want them spinning counterclockwise to push the air down. However, in winter, switch them clockwise to pull cool air up and circulate warm air around the room. It’s a simple flip of a switch, but it can actually make your rooms feel warmer and help your heating system work more efficiently.
Protect Your Pipes
Frozen pipes are a total nightmare. They can burst, flood your home, and cost a fortune to fix. To avoid this mess, insulate exposed pipes in unheated areas such as garages, attics, and basements. Let the faucets drip slightly during super-cold nights.
Open cabinet doors under sinks to let warm air in and know how to shut off your water in case of an emergency. If you’re going away for the holidays, don’t turn off the heat completely, just power it down a bit. Keeping the house above 55°F is a good rule of thumb.
Test Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
With furnaces running and windows shut tight, winter is prime time for carbon monoxide issues. Make sure your detectors are working properly. Test them, replace the batteries, and consider installing one near your furnace or HVAC unit if you don’t already have one there. This one’s not just about comfort, it’s about safety.
Prep or Upgrade Your Windows
Old single-pane windows are basically just holes in your insulation. If replacing them isn’t in your budget this year, there are still budget-friendly hacks such as using thermal curtains to trap heat, applying window insulation film, and adding plastic shrink wrap kits.
If you’ve been on the fence about upgrading your windows, winter is a great excuse to finally pull the trigger. New windows can make a huge difference in comfort and energy costs.
Check Your Roof and Chimney
Before snow piles up, do a quick roof inspection. Look for missing shingles, loose flashing, or anything else that could turn into a leak. It’s also a good time to make sure your chimney is clean and ready to go. Creosote build-up can be a fire hazard, so hire a chimney sweep if it hasn’t been done in a while.
Endnote
Getting your home winter-ready doesn’t have to be a huge project. Tackle one thing at a time, and before you know it, you’ll be sipping hot cider in a warm, safe, and cozy house, without worrying about leaky windows, busted pipes, or surprise furnace failures.