Winter Weather Preparation Checklist for Your Home

Every season brings about new “joys” for homeowners to deal with. From flooding in the spring to ant infestations in the summer, you must prepare for every type of season. Creating a weather preparation checklist for your home is helpful when the “joys” strike!

Winter is one of the seasons that you really need to worry about. The season brings a number of concerns from ice build-up to winter weather storms. Inspecting your home now can prevent plenty of headaches later.

Use this winter preparation checklist to start inspecting critical areas:

Doors, windows, and other areas where cold air can get into the home.

The windows and doors are common areas where you see issues with drafts. You can purchase a plastic wrap that will be taped around the inside of your windows and will act as a secondary window for your home. This will really aid in keeping the cold air out and the warm air in!

Replace the weather-stripping around the windows and doors of your home to prevent drafts from occurring. Seal up any cracks that may allow the cold air to go in. This serves of a dual purpose of keeping the home warmer and making it more energy efficient. As my mother always said, there’s no sense in heating the outside!

Decks and outdoor furniture

Apply waterproofing sealant to your deck and other wood that is outside the home. The cold air along with the snow can easily destroy a nice deck or the siding on your home. Using a waterproofing sealant will allow your home to be protected but it also aids in giving you a nicer looking home.

Remove all your deck and patio furniture and put it away for the winter so you don’t end up with damaged furniture. Now is a great time to clean the furniture, too, prior to storing.

Roof and gutters

It’s time to get up on the roof (or hire someone) to clean all the leaves and other debris out of the gutters. You may even try installing gutter guards to try and keep the debris out in the future. Clean gutters help snow melt and be removed effectively from your home.

While you are cleaning the gutters, look around the roof for loose or missing shingles. Make sure that you do replace them or repair them. They lead to leaks in the home, which can be costly.

Furnace and fireplaces

Replace your furnace filter and have several on stock to use when you are dealing with a furnace that will be running for months. This will provide you with cleaner air to breath in the winter. You may also consider hiring a furnace company to come out and to inspect your furnace to make sure it is ready for the winter.

Call the gas company to come and check on your fireplace. Any time you have a gas fireplace it is a smart idea to have it inspected to ensure that it is running properly and that you don’t have any type of a gas leak. If you have a wood stove, be sure to inspect and clean the ducts, pipe, and flue.

Hot water heater and pipes

Check on all your pipes and make sure they are not “sweating” as this can lead to leaks in the basement, which is an ideal location for mold growth. Use a dehumidifier in the basement to prevent any type of mold growth from excess humidity.

Check on the hot water heater and consider wrapping it with an insulation cover. This helps limit how often it needs to click on and heat the water. If your water heater is getting old, it may be time to invest in a new one.

Emergency equipment

Replace the batteries in your your carbon monoxide detector. This is beneficial as it will be able to prevent you from having issues with gas leaks and not knowing it. It’s also a great time to inspect and test all of your fire alarms and replace batteries.

Put together a emergency kit for times when the power may go out and you are without heat and electricity. Rather than trying to find things like candles and flashlights, having a prepared kit with these and other items is truly helpful.

Hope this winter preparation checklist helps you get a great start on getting your home ready for the season!