You may have noticed the leaves have changed color, the days are getting shorter, and your neighbors are wearing fur hats. That‘s right, winter has snuck up on you again. So don’t get caught unprepared this year!

It’s time to winterproof your home. Save money, time, and stress with these tips and recommendations to get your house ready for winter – without the temporary panic of doing it on your own.

Here’s what you need to know if you’re wondering how to winterize your house for the coming season.

 

Winter is here and that means rain, ice, and snow. We know the gutters on your house can get clogged pretty quickly from loose leaves and caked-on dirt. Leaves and twigs can damage your gutters and make it more likely that your home will suffer water damage.

And how awful would it be if all that stuff just piled up until spring? So unless you want to drag out a ladder and climb around your gutters (which I wouldn’t recommend), one bad move, and you could end up spending months in a hospital. You can outsource this work for the same price as you’d pay to rent the right tools for an hour.

 

This winter, make an appointment with a service technician to inspect your furnace before the cold sets in.

An inefficiently running furnace can hike up your energy bills — or, worse, fail when you need it the most. A furnace service is a quick and easy way to ensure that your whole house is nice and warm during those cold winter days while making sure it’s still safe and efficient for the rest of the long haul.

 

Nothing‘s worse than frozen pipes. Pipes freeze when the temperature gets too low. Before your pipes burst, give them some protection!

Add foam insulation to your pipes to help keep them from freezing in the winter. These foam tubes work like a charm. Cut pipe foam tube with a utility knife, then slide the cut pieces over the PVC pipe and tape into place.

Great for preventing frozen pipes in colder locations, these foam insulators prevent you from having to replace your plumbing in the dead of night when it freezes and bursts. It’s one of the cheapest ways you can winterize your home.

 

Sealing your doors and windows during the winter months is a serious job, and getting it done properly can make all the difference between a draft-free winter and one that’s filled with a bit of a chill.

You can probably seal your doors and windows in under an hour. All you need is a caulking gun, a bucket with water, a caulk, and a few old rags. Seal up those gaps with just a single application and stay warm, comfortable, and safe.

If you don’t feel safe putting it up yourself, have your local handyman do it for you. Don’t let cold air and drafts make you wish you had sealed your doors and windows months ago.

 

Reverse your ceiling fans this winter. During the heating season, turn your ceiling fan blades counterclockwise to help circulate warm air down.

Reversing the direction of your ceiling fan will help push the warm air from the bottom and up toward the ceiling. Better air circulation means not only warmer areas of your house but less heating your home needs.

You may even be able to shave a few degrees off your thermostat setting (and a few dollars off your monthly bill) because of it.

 

It‘s that time of year, time to think about your fireplace, which means it’s time to start thinking about fire safety. Did you know that harmful creosote buildup can cause fires or worse?

Your chimney is the hearth of your home. The place where you can spend time talking with your family, relax in front of the warm fire, and get together with guests. This is where you and your loved ones will be if there’s a fire, smoke or poisonous gases can spread directly into the room.

Don’t spend another winter breathing in dirty smoke and noxious gases, get your chimney swept.

 

The Bottomline:

Whether you‘re just wanting to protect your most prized possessions from the harsh winter months ahead or have already felt the sting of a winter-torn roof, you’ll benefit from doing some winterizing around your house.

If you haven‘t been properly winterizing your home, you may be left with a costly repair. Proper winterizing will stop “preventable” home damages which can be beneficial when it’s time to sell!

If you’re thinking of selling this winter, then you are on the right path. Selling in the winter is a great decision for many reasons. With months of short days and dark nights, selling during the winter will help ensure that your home is shown to its best advantage. What’s more, with snow falling outside, potential buyers have plenty more time to come take a look at your beautiful home.

Connect with me and let’s get your house ready for the market!

 

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