By Bryton Wilson - Century 21

Five Easy Tips to Prep Your Home for Winter

Oct 15, 2021 | 11:37 AM

When the days begin to get shorter and the nights get colder, it’s time to start getting your home prepped for the inevitable winter ahead. Here are a few of my must get done’s before old man winter comes knocking at the door.

1. Turn off all exterior faucets and drain the water from your outdoor pipes, valves, and underground sprinkler heads. This will prevent your pipes from bursting and save you a major headache. If your home is 10 years or older, you should consider installing frost-proof faucets where your hose bibs are.

2. Get the ladder out, climb on up and clean out those gutters. This will allow water to easily flow from your rooftops down to the ground, away from your foundation. If you want to go really all in, get some gutter covers to stop those pesky leaves and needles from clogging up your gutters, to begin with!

3. Book an HVAC appointment to get your furnace serviced and running in tip-top shape. Odds are, you’re going to have your furnace going at some point throughout the winter, why not get it serviced and checked out now? It can add years to the life of your furnace to have it regularly maintained, and could prevent you from the dreaded waking up to a freezing house because your furnace went in the middle of the night. Also, change your furnace filter!

4. Dryer lint building up over time in the duct behind the machine not only reduces the efficiency of the dryer but is also a leading cause of house fires! If you notice there is a build-up, get your leaf blower out and give it a good blow through the vent to clear out any potential blockages. Or, hire a professional!

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5. Want an easy way to keep the cold out, especially if you have older windows/doors? Start by finding out where some extra weather stripping is needed, run your hand along the door seam or window casing and where you find the moisture on your hand, there usually is a draft. Things like door sweeps and insulation foam are great for deterring drafts. If you find a larger gap (width of a nickel), reapply some exterior caulking to really seal off those gaps.

Stay warm, enjoy the last bit of fall and get your home ready for the cold, you’ll thank me in -40 February!