The leaves are falling, there's a nip in the air—which means that winter's not far away. Before the snow flies, use our checklist to make sure your house is winter-ready.
- Shut-off water valves - Locate water valves for backyard and garage (usually in the basement) and turn off, open outside valve and drain them. This will protect you pipe from bursting.
- Add weatherstripping to doors and windows. Don't let your heat escape through small cracks and gaps-seal drafty spaces using weatherstripping or caulk. Here are more helpful tips on sealing up air leaks in your home.
- Check your insulation. If you're in an older home, you may want to supplement the insulation that's already there, or add insulation to un-insulated walls. This will help keep heat in and moisture out.
- Clean your dryer vent. Inside and out. If you have a gas dryer, unplug it and shut off the gas supply at the appliance shut-off valve. Unhook the tube that leads to the vent and clean out as much lint as you can. If you have a wet/dry vac, tackle your exterior vent as well.
- Inspect your roof and chimney, and do any repairs that are needed. Look for cracked shingles, crumbling masonry and damaged or missing flashing. While you're looking at your chimney, take a look at your fireplace as well—make sure the damper opens and closes easily, and get the chimney cleaned if you haven't already this year.
