Winter weather has finally arrived with frost on the ground and sub-freezing temperatures greeting us most mornings.

For that reason, I decided to reshare my five tips to prepare your home for Winter weather.

I hope you find them helpful!

With freezing temperatures back upon us, it is once again time to prepare your home for the winter season. Here are five tips to help you Winterize your home.

These tips were originally share in an article published in Tri-W News in November 2018.

1.  Clean out your gutters.  Not all of the leaves have fallen yet, but many have and there is a good chance they are clogging your gutters.  Not only do clogged gutters affect drainage, but they are also very heavy and can cause unwanted damage to your home. Water that freezes in the gutters against your house can also create ice dams and cause water to drip into your house.

2.  Close exterior vents.  I’m talking about the vents on the outside of your home, particularly if your home has a crawl space! Shutting the dampers on the outside of your home helps prevent the pipes under your home from freezing.

3.  Check for leaks around your windows and doors. Did you know that the average American home has leaks amounting to a 3’x3′ hole in the wall?  I read it somewhere on the Internet a while ago and that number always stuck with me!  That’s like leaving a window wide open during winter. Doors and windows can be drafty if not properly sealed and you can wind up heating up the outdoors if you don’t take care of them.

4.  Disconnect hoses and insulate your spigots. Outdoor faucets are exposed to freezing temperatures during the winter, and they are a direct conduit to the pipes inside and beneath your home.  Freezing and thawing water expands and contracts, putting tremendous pressure on your pipes that could cause them to burst, resulting in costly water damage and repairs.  By disconnecting hoses and insulating outdoor spigots with a foam sleeve, you’re reducing your risk of burst pipes.

5.  Set your heat to at least 55 degrees. That is, of course, if you are taking a holiday trip out of town. You may also want to turn on your faucets just enough to produce a very slow drip as another safeguard to prevent frozen pipes…and water damage!

Need more advice or a great referral to help you Winterize your home?  Give me, Jimmy Grappone, a call and I’ll connect you to the pros who can help or offer you some advice to save a buck or two!