Whether you live in an area where snow and freezing temperatures are the norm or an area where a cold front is a rarity, as the winter season approaches, you’ll want to take steps to protect your home, prepare for emergencies, and maximize your home’s energy efficiency.
Here are 20 things to remember when preparing your home for winter this year:
- Mow the lawn and aerate. Apply fall fertilizer. Rake and remove or mow and spread leaves.
- Bring in tender plants and bulbs and place any fall plantings.
- Provide cover in the garden and flower beds. Leave dead stems and leaves over winter, add leaves as mulch, cover with frost blanket, or plant cover crops in bare areas.
- Store and cover your outdoor furniture, grill, and garden decorations.
- Trim bushes around the house, and prune trees after the leaves have fallen.
- Inspect the exterior for cracks and holes and caulk or patch.
- Inspect the roof for damaged or missing shingles and repair.
- To deter pests, remove wasp nests from eaves and overhangs, and keep stacks of firewood away from the house.
- Set mouse traps or other deterrents and check regularly as the temperatures begin to drop.
- Clear gutters & downspouts.
- Drain and winterize exterior plumbing, including hoses and in-ground sprinkler systems.
- Clean windows, screens, and doors. Use storm windows, weather stripping, or window insulation kits to reduce drafts and heat loss. Add cozy, insulating curtains to further reduce heat loss.
- Schedule inspections for your furnace, thermostat, fireplace, generators, etc.
- Change furnace filters and set ceiling fans to clockwise.
- Stock up on fuel and wood for heating, generators, and snowblowers.
- Add insulation for crawl spaces, attics, drafty areas, and water pipes.
- Prepare for snow removal – snowblower, shovel, ice melt, salt, and sand. Add a heating cable to the roof to prevent ice dams.
- Test and replace batteries in carbon monoxide detectors, smoke detectors, flashlights, and radios.
- Restock and update the emergency and first aid kits for the home and review emergency plans.
- Restock and update your car’s emergency kits and make sure there are extra clothes or blankets just in case.
Sources: bhg.com & homedepot.com
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