Tips for Preparing Your Home for Winter Weather

Make sure your home is prepped for anything the cold weather can dish out. Get tips for preparing your home for the winter in this HomeAdvisor video:

Here are some things you should do to make sure your home is prepped for anything the cold weather can dish out.

Make sure your home is properly insulated. Check your attic and if necessary have a professional add insulation.
Feel around electrical outlets and switch plates for cold air. Look around doors and windows for gaps where warm air can ecscape. Use caulking or weatherstripping to take care of any problem areas. If your home is older, consider having a professional replace your old windows with energy-efficient double-paned windows. Better windows will save you money on your heating bills.

Check out your furnace. Dirty filters make the furnace work harder and can cause problems. Keeping a clean furnace filter throughout the winter is essential to maximizing its efficiency. It’s also a good idea to have a heating expert check your unit for leaks about once a year.

Turn off the water supply to your outdoor pipes and lawn sprinkler system. Water left sitting in the pipes through the winter could be disastrous. Just one winter blast can freeze and burst a pipe, leaving you with an expensive mess to clean up. If the weather gets cold where you live, drain the pipes at the end of the watering season.

Make sure to keep autumn leaves from clogging your gutters and downspouts. If water collects and freezes up there, it can cause big problems for your roof.

Spending a little time and money to protect your home from these cold weather problems can save you thousands later.