5 Ways to Get Your Home Ready for Winter

If you haven’t already seen the first snowfall of the year, chances are that you will see it soon. You want to get your home ready for winter before things get too cold. Preparing your home is good practice. Not only is it good for your home, but it can also save you money.

1. Heating tune up

One of the best things you can do to get your home ready for winter is to have a heating tune up performed. You might pay a fee, but it is often worth it. A professional can tune up the system so that it runs more efficiently, saving you money on heating costs.

If you use a fireplace, call in someone to sweep out the chimney. You want to be entirely ready before it gets too cold.

2. Avoid ice dams

Ice dams in your gutters, and large amounts of icicles can cause problems. Ice dams can catch melting snow from thaws and back it up into your home. Heavy icicles can damage your roof or bring down your rain gutter. Ice dams can be caused by poor insulation and air leaks in your home. By stopping up air leaks and adding more insulation, you can save on heating costs, and head off what could be damage to your home.

Don’t forget to clean out your gutters as well. The more debris you have clogging up your gutters, the worse things can be.

3. Drain your pipes

Make sure you drain your pipes and turn of the faucets on the outside of your home. Disconnect any hoses and drain the water from the faucets. If you don’t take this step, it’s possible that your pipes will freeze and burst – and cause a great deal of damage to your home. You might also need to turn off a valve inside your home, if your faucets aren’t frost-proof. Don’t forget about your sprinkler system, if you have one. It’s especially important to take this step if you want to get your home ready for winter.

Double-check your home insurance to make sure that you are covered in the event a pipe does burst and water ends up in your home during the winter. You want to make sure that you are covered.

4. Know when to take care of your plants

Many homeowners mistakenly think that they should prune their trees and shrubs in the fall. However, it’s often better to take this step in late winter. It will be cold, but the plants are more likely to be dormant, and this is a good time to do your pruning.

Another tip is to consider mulching your leaves rather than raking them all and throwing them away. Mulching can help nourish your lawn and get it ready for spring. You can also re-seed and fertilize in late fall, before it gets too cold, in order to give your lawn a head start for spring.

5. Buy your winter supplies

Finally, now is the time to take stock of your winter supplies and buy what you need. From ice melt to fuel for your snow blower, head to the store and restock. Test your engine heater and prepare to buy another one. And don’t forget to replenish your food storage, extra water, and emergency supplies of light and heat, just in case the power goes out and you need to sustain yourself.

It might take a little upfront spending to get your home ready for winter, but in the long run, it will save you money.

Image Courtesy of Adobe Stock