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Baby, it’s cold outside! Brrr, it’s time to turn up the heat!

Winter is in full swing, and if you haven’t already prepared your home for the blistering cold months, there’s still time! While most prepare their home for winter during the fall season, not all hope is lost if you weren’t able to. Let’s discuss five ways to prepare your home for winter and avoid potentially costly repairs or energy pitfalls.

Clean the Gutters

Cleaning the gutters is typically done in the fall season; however, if you haven’t received your first big snowfall of the year, you can still take a moment to clean them out. It will help with drainage of the snow once it’s melted, help to avoid costly home repairs, and will save on additional wear and tear of your home throughout the season.

Test Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Testing your life-saving detectors throughout your home should be done quarterly, but winter is always a good time to check due to the increased use of fireplaces and blasting of the home’s furnace. Winter is the time when most house fires happen! Contact your local HVAC service provider to verify that your furnace and water heater have proper ventilation as they are the most likely cause of carbon monoxide.

Insulate the Home

With the weather getting cooler, it’s a good idea to check your windows and doors for drafts and insulate to avoid increasing your heating expenses. According to the U.S. Energy Department, by reducing air drafts, you can lower your home’s energy costs by up to 20% per year. Items to insulate the windows and doors are shrink film, weather stripping, or even a DIY door snake.

Furnace Maintenance

Maintaining your home and the appliances within it will help increase the longevity of their use. Throughout the winter, your furnace will be working overtime, and it’s essential to have it looked at by your local HVAC service provider. They can give it a quick tune-up and alert you to any potential repairs needed. 

Reverse Ceiling Fans

If you have ceiling fans that operate year-round, there are two times a year to flip the switch—spring and winter. In the winter, your blades should be rotating clockwise to push the hot air down, allowing you to keep the room warm, and it’ll help reduce your energy bill. 

A bonus tip is to make sure you take in all the leftover summer or fall decorations that didn’t find their way into storage yet. Such as any gardening tools, hoses, etc., and store them safely in storage while rotating what you need for the winter out front and pushing the spring, summer, and fall items to the back. This hack will save you time when you need any tools or supplies throughout the winter, and you won’t be wasting time sorting through bins and closets looking for what you need while freezing in the cooler weather.

As you can see, preparing your home for the winter is essential, and if you weren’t able to check everything off your to-do list in the fall for preparation, that’s ok because there are still some ways you can prepare even if winter is underway.

Share in the comments: What is one way you help prepare your home for the winter?