14 Tips to Prepare Your Home for Winter Posted on December 21, 2015 by socialmedia by Now that it is finally getting a little colder out, you will want to make sure your home is not only ready for the snow, but the cold weather too! These tips will help protect your investment and can save you a lot of money in the long run.1. Tune up Your Heating System Having a technician inspect your heating system will ensure that on the coldest days this season, you will not be 200th in line waiting for someone to come to your home to repair your broken heating system! 2. Reverse Your Ceiling Fans This may be an odd tip but reversing your blades so that they will run in a clockwise direction will produce an updraft and push down the heated air from the ceiling. 3. Prevent Ice Dams A home-energy auditor or weatherization contractor can identify and fix air leaks and inadequate insulation in your home’s attic that can lead to ice dams. 4. Check Out the Roof Look for damaged, loose or missing shingles that may leak during winter’s storms or from melting snow. 5. Caulk Around Windows and Doors If the gaps between siding and window or door frames are bigger than the width of a nickel, you will need to reapply exterior caulk. Silicone caulk is best for exterior use because it won’t shrink, and it’s impervious to the elements. 6. Clean the Gutters If you didn’t clean the gutters in fall make sure to get to them now! If they get backed up they can damage roofing, siding and wood trim…plus backed up gutters can cause leaks and ice dams. 7. Divert Water Add extensions to downspouts so that water runs at least three to four feet away from the foundation. 8. Turn off Exterior Faucets Undrained water in pipes can freeze, which will cause pipes to burst as the ice expands. Start by disconnecting all garden hoses and draining the water that remains in faucets. 9. Drain Your Lawn-Irrigation System Make sure to drain the sprinkler-system pipes, as well as spigots, to help avoid freezing and leaks. 10. Prepare to Stow Your Mower After you have mulched your leaves with your mower, let the mower run out of gas. Check your manual for other cold-weather storage steps. 11. Wait to Prune Trees or Shrubs until Late Winter Horticulturists advise waiting to prune until late winter for most plants, when they’ve been long dormant and just before spring growth begins. 12. Call a Chimney Sweep No this is not a Mary Poppins movie thing, this is for real! Before you burn any Yule logs, make sure that the chimney and vents are clean and in good repair. This will prevent chimney fires and carbon monoxide from creeping into your home. 13. Pre-Set your Thermostat Help your home and yourself to not work too hard by pre-setting a lower temperature during the night and also during the day when you are not there! 14. Restock Winter Essentials Don’t wait for the first winter storm to restock essentials such as salt or ice-melt! If you follow these steps, your home will be ready for the winter storms that are looking to last until spring! Make sure that you are on the prepared side! #ShorewestRealtors #ShorewestFamily Tags: home improvement, monday motivation, prepare your home for winter, shorewest, shorewest family, Shorewest Realtors, winter safety, Wisconsin Winter Categories: First Time Home Buyers, Home Improvement, How to, Monday Motivation, Real Estate News Leave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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