How to Prepare Your Home for Winter?

Fall is upon us! That means it’s time to start preparing your home and garden for winter! Homes need regular maintenance and attention, or they can start to deteriorate very quickly. If a long list of seasonal house work has your head spinning, you’re not alone!

Preparing your home and garden for winter may feel daunting, but it doesn’t need to be! Here are fifteen fast and easy ways to prepare your home for winter so you can protect your investment, and keep your home healthy and happy!

#1 Check Furnace and Water Heater

Have a technician come inspect your furnace, boiler and hot water heater to make sure everything is clean, and working properly.

You should replace furnaces and boilers every 15 years, and water heaters every 10 years.

Inspections are typically less than $100, and they’re well worth the long-term investment. Don’t wait for your furnace or water heater to break on a cold day when appointments will likely be booked up.

Now, this one is really important, replace your furnace filter regularly! A good rule of thumb is about twice a year (spring & fall). A trick we use to keep track of the last time the filter was changed, is by writing the day in sharpie on the new filter when we replace it.

How can you tell if your furnace filter needs to be changed? Easy! Does your filter look nasty and grimy? Time for a replacement! The cleaner your furnace filter is, the better your air quality will be.

Fall is also a great time to consider getting your ducts cleaned if you haven’t done so in a few years (or ever!)

#2 Test the Sump Pump

If you live in a home with a sump pump, check it before the weather gets cold. A sump pump prevents your basement from flooding in the event of extra snow or rain.

If your sump pump is more than 10 years old, it’s time to look for a replacement.  

#3 Turn Off and Cover the Air Conditioner or Swamp Cooler

Once the temperatures start to drop, you won’t need to use your AC or swamp cooler anymore. Turn them off, and protect them from the harsh elements with a cover.

#4 Clean Gutters and Check for Roof Damage

It’s easy for gutters to get clogged with leaves (etc.), then snow and ice can get backed up in these clogged gutters. This can lead to a leak in your roof and water damage to your home or personal belongings (no one wants that!).

Don’t forget to check your gutter downspouts, as well as the drainage around your foundation. Ideally you want to divert water at least 3-4’ away from your foundation. If possible, add extensions to your downspouts to help keep the water away.

While you’re up there, check the roof for any damaged shingles. Replacing a few damaged roof shingles is easy. Repairing a large roof leak… not so much!

#5 Clean Chimney and Stock Up on Firewood

If your home has a fireplace (especially a wood burning fireplace), call your local chimney sweep, and make an appointment before the weather starts to get chilly.

The National Fire Protection Association recommends cleaning your chimney at least once a year to prevent clogs that can be both dangerous, and damaging to your home.

A chimney sweep will remove any deposits and/or critters that may have found their way into your chimney during the warmer months. Then you can light up your fireplace on a cold winter day, knowing you (probably) won’t burn the house down (at least not from a chimney clog anyway).

If you have a wood burning fireplace, take inventory of your firewood and restock if needed before the winter rush.

#6 Replace Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

With furnaces basting, fireplaces roaring, and space heaters being put to use for the first time in almost a year, it’s no wonder house fires are most common during the winter.

Do a quick safety check on all your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they are working properly.

Most smoke and carbon monoxide detectors should be replaced every 10 years.

#7 Check Attic, Crawl Space and Garage for Critters

When the weather starts to change, pests will start looking for a warm place to hunker down for winter.  Check your attic, crawl space and garage for any unwelcome guests, then call an exterminator if you find any.

Rodents in particular can nest in your insulation, chew your electrical lines, and wreak havoc on your kitchen pantry (eeeek!). Not to mention a couple mice will quickly multiply into a full blown infestation in no time!

Get ahead of the pests before they decide to make your home their own.

#8 Do A Quick Energy Audit

It’s smart to have an energy audit done on your home before winter. An energy audit is a room by room assessment, that evaluates your home’s energy usage by checking your window and door seals, wall and roof insulation, etc.

After your audit, they will recommend energy saving solutions to make your home more energy efficient. Adding energy saving upgrades to your home can help significantly reduce your heating and cooling bill.

In most states, you can claim an energy audit for tax credits, and possibly even a partial rebate to help offset the cost! Many states also provide tax credits for some energy efficient upgrades to your home. (ex: trading in old appliances for energy efficient models, replacing old windows and doors, or adding additional insulation to your attic and walls, etc.)

#9 Winterize Sprinkler System and Drain Hoses and Faucets

Winterize your sprinkler system to prepare your lawn for winter. This will prevent your sprinkler lines from bursting when the weather freezes.

Call and schedule your sprinkler blowout with a local sprinkler company before the first big freeze. Once snow shows up on the forecast, sprinkler blow-outs will book up quickly.

Shut off the water to outdoor spigots and fountains, especially if you live in an older home. Detach any outdoor hoses, drain them, and store in a shed or garage so they don’t freeze.

#10 Rake and Seed Lawn

It may seem counterintuitive, but the best time of year to re-seed your lawn is in the fall. This gives the grass seed a chance to settle, so it can sprout quicker once the weather starts to warm in the spring.

Rake up any leaves in your yard to prevent them from freezing under the snow, and creating bald spots on your sod come spring. Compost the leaves, or use them as ground cover for your raised garden beds.

Give your lawn a final trim, but don’t cut it too short. Using a lawn spreader, apply a light even layer of grass seed throughout your lawn.

For large bald patches of sod, lay a thin layer of lawn soil, then sprinkle a layer of grass seed, followed by another thin layer of lawn soil (to help the seeds settle). Afterwards, water your lawn to keep seeds and lawn soil in place.

#11 Plant New Trees and Evaluate Existing Trees

The best time of year to plant trees is in the fall, so they can root down over the winter before the spring.

Evaluate existing trees on your property, and check their health. Keep in mind, dead and unhealthy trees aren’t always as obvious to spot as you may think.

Always remove dead or diseased trees, as they can sometimes infect surrounding trees. Heavy wind and snow can also cause dead or unhealthy tree branches to break, which can lead to property damage.

#12 Trim Trees, Shrubs and Tall Grasses

It may be tempting to start trimming your trees as soon as the leaves start to fall. However, the best time to trim and prune trees is in late winter.

This allows trees to go fully dormant before removing large portions of their canopy, and gives them a better chance of bouncing back in the spring. Regularly trimming and pruning trees will help keep them happy and healthy!

Trim hedges and shrubs, (such as barberry and rose bushes) as this will help them grow back fuller in the spring. I like to trim back our tall grasses as well, so they don’t get completely destroyed by heavy snowfall.

#13 Cover and Store Patio Furniture

Cover all patio furniture, grills, etc. to prevent them from getting damaged by snow and frost. Patio furniture cushions should be stored in a garage or shed to protect them from the elements.

Store and cover your patio furniture on a clear warm day, to prevent moisture from getting trapped and causing mildew.

Take down any sunshades and umbrellas, place them in storage as well to avoid damage from the wind and snow.

#14 Prepare Lawn Care and Snow Removal Equipment

Your lawn care equipment will need to be properly stored for winter! Leaving gas in your equipment long term can cause damage to the engine and fuel line. (Trust me, I’ve been there and it’s not fun!)

Drain any remaining gas from your equipment (such as lawn mowers) and dispose of it properly. You can do this using a siphon and a gas storage can.

Fill your lawn care equipment with fresh gas in the spring once you are ready to use them again. Equipment should always be stored in a shed or garage to protect them from the elements.

You should also get your snow removal equipment ready for winter. Test your snow blower before the first big storm, and fill it with fresh gas (Same rule applies, you need to remove the gas from your snow blower before storing it long-term). If you have trouble getting your snow blower to start, take it to a repair shop before the first snow when they will start getting busy.

Take inventory on other snow removal tools you may have (such as shovels, car ice scrapers, and ice salt). Replace them as needed before the first big storm when stores will inevitably sell out.

#15 Prepare Your Garden for Winter

Final Harvest

Before the first big frost, do a final garden harvest. Donate extra produce that you don’t need to your local food bank or a produce donation program.

I like to use Fresh Food Connect throughout the growing season to donate our extra produce (I’m looking at you zucchini!)

Dry Herbs

For a fresh supply of dried herbs throughout the winter, clean and hang upside down in a cool dark place for a couple weeks until dry.

I like to dry my herbs in brown paper bags with a few holes cut in the sides. This maintains a dark environment, and catches any herbs that fall out of the bundle while drying.

Remove Annual Plants and Trim Perennials

Remove any annual plants, and compost them if possible. Do the same for your seasonal pots, and store the containers in a shed or garage.

Trim perennials so they start focusing energy on survival, rather than growth.

Turn Raised Beds, and Cover With Mulch

Once you’re done with your final harvest, turn the raised bed soil as much as possible to break up any roots. Top your beds with a fresh layer of compost and mulch (leaves from your yard work too), this will add extra nutrients for next season.

Plant Cold Weather Crops and Bulbs

Plant cold weather plants and crops like garlic and bulbs. If you have a cold frame or mini greenhouse, put it to good use by planting some winter varieties inside!

Straw

If you’re like me, and use straw bales from your local farm for Halloween decorations, you can repurpose this straw to cover your raised beds like you would with mulch!

Cover your raised beds with a few inches of straw, then water the beds so the straw doesn’t fly away. Straw can also be used to cover cold season varieties like garlic and bulbs, to keep them warm underground during the winter.

Note: I’ve actually heard mixed reviews about this one! Some say it’s great, while others say straw (and hay in particular) leave seeds behind that need to be pulled come spring.

This is my first season using this method, so I guess we will see how it goes! Maybe it will be great, or maybe I’ve made a terrible mistake that I’ll regret a few months from now. Only time will tell, I’ll keep you posted!

*If you’ve used the straw method before and saw success or had issues, please comment below or email me directly! I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Take Notes for Next Season

Reflect and take notes on how this last growing season went. Think about what plants you grew, and how they did. What would you plant more of next season? What would you change or add?

Write your thoughts down now, so you can remind yourself in the spring.

Your Home and Garden are Ready for Winter!

That’s it! You’re all set for winter! Enjoy the cozy snuggly weather and get ready for the upcoming holiday season! (yay!)

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If you have any questions about how to prepare your home and garden for winter, or some helpful tips of your own that you would like to share, leave a comment below or email me directly at melanie@pillartoposthomes.com!