So it's winter... Have you winterized your house yet?
For better or worse - winter is here! Thanks to this nice, warm fall, the snow really snuck up on me…so even though I am in the housing industry and know better, I totally spaced on going through the steps to properly winterize my home.
Here are eight tips we should always take to winterize our homes (and if you’re like me and doing these retroactively, I will let you know how I am remedying some of these, too!):
1. Clear the yard
This one seems pretty obvious, but clean up your lawn & garden of any leaves or debris. Leaving your leaves in the yard through the winter can quickly kill your lawn. It can create a breeding ground for certain insects and pests, including moles, which MN can be prone to. As the leaves begin to rot, there is also an increased chance for fungus and mold growth.
2. Clean those gutters
In any season, it is always a smart idea to keep the gutters clear of debris or blockages. This allows the water to drain properly from the home & can help usher the melting snow off the roof. If you are like me and don’t foresee yourself getting up on a ladder and clearing out gutters constantly, then investing in gutter guards is a smart move!
3. Detach and put away the garden hose
Remove all garden hoses attached to the house, then drain them and store them away. This is one thing I did not do this prior to the snow fall! Since we are currently in below freezing temps, I will be taking hot water to all the hose + house connections around my house to de-thaw them before I properly unscrew the hoses and drain them this weekend when temps are supposed to be a little better.
4. Protect the pipes
Following up on the exterior faucets: Shut off the valves that lead to the exterior and insulate the faucet. This will help protect your pipes from bursting in the below freezing temps.
5. Keep it warm & cozy
Make sure your thermostat doesn’t fall below 65 degrees. This is where having a programmable or a smart thermostat is really helpful as you can always check in on the temperature of the home. A reminder if you are traveling this winter - be extra mindful of making sure your home stays at 65 to avoid any burst pipes after vacation!
6. Have your heating system checked
It is recommended to have your furnace tuned up every year. A furnace tune-up includes gas calibration and the cleaning and inspection of the furnace burner to ensure correct temperature output. In addition to ensuring safe operation, this will keep your furnace running as efficiently as possible all season long. This one is really important to do proactively, as HVAC technicians tend to be very booked out when it gets super cold and everyone is calling in. There are a few programs out there that are subscription/membership based that include HVAC & plumbing (reach out if interested and I will send you their info!). On this note, here’s a reminder to change your filters! You will be spending more time indoors & you will want to be breathing in clean filtered air!
7. Keep rodents out
This is just one of those unglamorous sides of home ownership! It’s not uncommon to have a mouse or two sneak their way inside your home as the temperatures drop. Go around the house & check for access points to seal up, or hire that out to the pros. I personally use a company that I keep a membership with to help continuously seal up my old (but charming!) home.
8. Run fans counterclockwise
Run your fans counterclockwise during winters as this will redirect the warm air trapped on the ceiling downwards. Most fans have a switch that allows you to change the direction depending on the weather.