How to Get Your House Ready for Winter

If you’re a first-time homeowner, or if you’ve recently moved to a chillier climate, you might be wondering how to prepare your house for winter. Even areas that are historically warmer during the winter months, like Texas, are prone to cold weather hazards.

From sealing drafty windows to buying a new snow shovel, taking some time to prepare now can save you time, money and headaches throughout the winter. When it comes to preparing for winter, the sooner, the better. Leaving things as is could add up to significant charges on your heating bill, or worse, costly repairs to pay for. Winter supplies could be scarce if you wait — after all, Jack Frost isn't known to wait for an invitation! Take a look at our home winterization checklist to learn the best cold weather tips for your home, so you can prevent expensive heating bills and repairs.

11-step home winterization checklist

Getting ready for winter can be a little overwhelming, but a winter preparedness checklist like this can help you keep track of all the important tasks. These winter home tips will help you make your home safe, warm, and winter-ready:

1. Use plastic film to insulate windows and prevent drafts
   A small window draft can add up to a big expense on your heating bill. To prevent drafts and keep costs low, insulate your windows with plastic film. This film is available at most home improvement stores and is affordable (typically less than $20) and easy to install. If you live in an especially cold area, try adding a layer of bubble wrap to the film for extra protection.

2. Reverse ceiling fans
   Did you know that most ceiling fans spin two ways  clockwise and counterclockwise? Check the base of your fan and you should find a switch. When you’re preparing for winter, simply flip this switch and ensure the direction of airflow is clockwise. Because hot air rises, clockwise blades produce an updraft and push heated air down from the ceiling. This can make everyday living more comfortable, and if you adjust your thermostat, it could lead to savings on your heating bill.

3. Install door sweeps
   Do you feel a constant draft under an exterior door? Does the floor near the door feel cold, too? If your doors are letting too much cool air in, it could be increasing heat and energy costs. However, there’s a simple solution: a door sweep. A door sweep is a flexible piece of rubber, foam or plastic that can be attached to the base of a door with adhesive or screws. You can even buy ones that slide under your door. Either way, you’ll have a barrier between the frigid winter air and your warm, cozy home. Best of all, most door sweeps are under $15.

4. Stock up on equipment
   You never know when the first storm of the season can strike. So, it’s important to stock up on any equipment or supplies you may need to weather the next big storm. If you use machinery, such as a snowblower or generator, get the engines tuned and keep gallons of gas on hand.
   
   The sooner you can gather your home winterization essentials the better; prices can rise when demand increases right before a big snowstorm. Basic winter equipment to stock up on when preparing for winter should include:

   • Snow shovel
   • Ice pick
   • Salt
   • Salt spreader

5. Replace worn weatherstripping
   If you notice cold air seeping in around windows and doors, even after installing plastic film and door sweeps, chances are your weatherstripping is worn and needs to be replaced. Weatherstripping is the material used to seal gaps around windows and entryways. When it becomes old or damaged, warm air can escape and cold winds can blow in. Use this guide from the U.S. Department of Energy with winter home tips on weatherstripping to help choose and install the best kind for your home.

6. Protect your pipes
   If a pipe in your house becomes frozen and bursts, it can be a rather messy (and costly) problem. When you winterize your home, you can reduce the chance of a burst pipe by:

   • Draining the water from your outdoor spigots and close the interior shut-off valve
   • Applying heat tape or other pipe insulation methods to any pipes that are near exterior walls or prone to freezing

7. Check drainage around your home
   Just like leaky pipes, poor drainage or leaks around the exterior of your home could lead to expensive flooding damages, especially if there’s a heavy snow that melts. Before winter, take a lap around your house and inspect the soil around the foundation of your home and rain gutters. Make sure that there aren’t any places that could potentially allow water to seep into your home.

8. Service your furnace or boiler
   Just like the engine in your car, your house needs a tune-up from time to time. As you’re preparing your home for winter, make sure to get your furnace and boiler inspected. This will not only help prolong operating life, but also identify potential gas and carbon monoxide leaks. Cleaning and inspecting your own furnace is something you could do yourself, but for safety reasons, it may be best to call a certified technician for a professional evaluation and service. If you catch an issue early, it could save you money compared to total replacement costs because of an undetected problem.

9. Inspect the roof
   Annual roof inspections can help you find small issues to repair before they become big and expensive problems. This can be a dangerous task, so if you don’t feel comfortable performing the inspection yourself, you may want to hire a professional. Some roof inspectors offer a flat rate for standard inspections, but the rate can fluctuate due to the size, slope and type of roof.
   
   As you’re getting ready for winter, be sure to inspect these three major areas:

   1. Shingles: Check for curling, buckling, tearing or missing shingles
   2. Gutters: Ensure gutters are secure and clear of debris
   3. Flashing: Confirm that flashing is not rusted, dented or damaged

10. Trim your trees
    Those winter winds can be strong  one gust of wind in stormy, icy weather could cause fallen branches and trees, putting your home at risk of serious structural damage. In fact, the average cost of home repairs after withstanding the force of a storm is $9,767.¹ So, trim back any branches hanging over your home and make sure there are no dead or dying trees nearby. This can be a dangerous task, so if this will be your first time, we recommend hiring a professional or reading these tips on how to prune trees and cut branches beforehand.

11. Get an energy audit
    The last step on our winterizing your home checklist is to have your home checked for possible issues that could impact your energy usage. Investing in an audit now can save you energy costs during the winter months should there be any problems. You can even conduct a do-it-yourself energy audit for free! However, if you would like a more thorough expert review, professional home energy audits can be a cost-effective option as well.

Let it snow (after you’ve completed the winter preparedness checklist)

We hope these winter home tips helped you learn how to prepare your house for cold temperatures. Whether you’re a snow-lover or you’d prefer to be a “snowbird,” our home winterization checklist should help you get your home ready for winter by the time Jack Frost comes a-knocking.

Check out our infographic for a visual overview of our home winterization checklist:

1. https://www.noaa.gov/news/us-had-its-coldest-february-in-more-than-30-years
2 https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/disaster-recovery/repair-storm-or-wind-damage/

This article has been updated from its original posting on November 1, 2019. Matt Diehl contributed to this post. Infographic by Zac Willett