How to Prepare Your Home for Winter

Winter finds every weak spot in a house. Spend a weekend in the fall and you'll spend a lot less in January.

Outside

• Disconnect and drain garden hoses; shut off and bleed exterior spigots
• Clean gutters and downspouts so meltwater drains away from the foundation
• Trim branches that could break under ice and hit the roof or power lines
• Seal foundation cracks where mice and cold air get in

Roof and attic

• Look for missing or curling shingles
• Check attic insulation depth — most homes are under-insulated
• Make sure soffit vents aren't blocked; that's what prevents ice dams

Heating

• Replace the furnace filter
• Schedule a tune-up before the first cold snap
• Test carbon monoxide detectors

Plumbing

• Insulate pipes in unheated spaces (crawlspaces, garages, exterior walls)
• Know where your main shutoff is, in case a pipe does burst

Doors and windows

• Replace torn weatherstripping
• Re-caulk gaps where siding meets trim
• Add or refresh door sweeps

Inside

• Reverse ceiling fans to push warm air down
• Stock up on ice melt and sand before the first storm

A couple of focused weekends now prevents the worst kind of repair call — the kind that starts with "we just got home and there's water everywhere".