How to Prepare Your Home for Winter Depending on Your Region

The first day of winter is quickly approaching. Are you ready for it? 

As a homeowner, you know you’re responsible for the longevity of your home, and that includes protecting it against the natural forces that transpire on our planet. While you can’t exactly predict what’s to come for the season, there are ways you can prepare for the winter season.  

Preparing your home for winter can be different depending on where you live. Check out how you can get your home ready for your region’s colder weather.

Northeast

Comprising of some well-known metropolitan cities like New York City and Philadelphia, the Northeast region of the U.S. is known for some brutal winters. With freezing temperatures, harsh winds and layers of ice, your home could take some damage throughout the season.

Insulate Your Pipes

Water pipes can easily freeze, especially in regions known for more extreme winter temperatures. In addition to the damage and inconvenience of not being able to use your sinks, showers or washing machine, burst pipes can be incredibly costly. Protect your pipes by installing insulation and electrical heating tape.

Fill Any Holes or Cracks

Take advantage of the autumn weather by inspecting both the interior and exterior of your home for any holes or cracks, which can prevent your home from getting as warm as possible when you have the heat on. Take the time to properly fill and seal anything that might cause cold air to seep into your home, including around windows, doors and mail chutes.

Clear Drainage Systems, Gutters and Chimneys

One of the most important chores to do before winter for those living in the Northeast is clearing your drainage systems and gutters to prevent ice dams. Ice dams prevent water, like melting snow, from draining properly which can then damage your home through water stains, mold and cracks. It’s also important to clean out your chimney to ensure it’s ready for more use during the winter.

Midwest

Like the Northeast region, the Midwest typically experiences heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures. And because the Midwest is home to the majority of the Great Lakes, many of its states experience lake effect snow which occurs when cold air moves across the warmer temperatures of the lakes.

Get Your HVAC Serviced

To ensure your home stays as warm as possible throughout winter, get your heating, ventilation and air conditioning serviced by a professional. This helps make sure it’s running properly and efficiently so you won’t be freezing in your own home.

Seal Asphalt Driveways

Weather in the Midwest can be incredibly unpredictable, going from one extreme to the next. This can cause significant damage to your asphalt driveways since any water in cracks can freeze and make the cracks expand, break off and make potholes. To prevent this and protect your driveway, you may want to consider sealing it and repairing any cracks.

Prepare Your Yard

While you don’t directly live in it, your yard is also part of your home and taking care of it before the winter months hit is imperative. Trim any bushes or trees, especially those close to your home, so that it doesn’t cause damage if blizzard winds snap off branches.

South

Winter in the South is pretty mild compared to the Northeast and Midwest, but it’s still important to take some precautions. While historically, the South generally experiences highs in the 50s and 60s during the day, there have been some snowfalls in the upper region.

Repair Your Roof

Take a trip to your rooftop to inspect for any broken shingles that need to be repaired or any cracks that need to be filled. This type of damage is often responsible for bigger issues that may occur and tackling them sooner rather than later can prevent further destruction, especially in the colder months.

Test Your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Home fires happen more often in the winter months due to the increased use of heating equipment and holiday decorations such as candles or decorative lights. While we hope you’re never caught in a house fire, it’s always a good idea to be prepared for one, and that includes ensuring all your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working.

Cover or Put Away Outdoor Furniture

Because the weather is milder in the South, you may have furniture to enjoy the outdoors. While you may not necessarily need to store them away for the entirety of winter, it’s a good idea to buy weatherproof covers or have a dedicated place to store them just in case it snows or the weather gets unusually out of hand.

West

Depending on where you live in the West, the winters can vary. In general, when you travel north, they’re cooler and wetter with temperatures ranging from the 50s to 60s. In the Southwest, they’re a bit warmer but still rainy.

Switch Your Ceiling Fan Rotation

As it gets colder, you may want to consider changing the rotation of the ceiling fans in your home to clockwise. This creates an updraft and circulates warm air around your room, so your heating won’t have to work as hard to warm up your home.

Seal Your Attic Floor

In addition to your windows and doors, attic floors notoriously let warm air escape. By insulating your attic floor and caulking any gaps, you can keep your home warmer and potentially decrease your heating bill.

Inspect Your Water Heater

While the West coast doesn’t have extreme or harsh weather like the Northeast or Midwest, it still generally gets colder than other months. And there are few things worse than coming in from a cold day to take a warm shower only to find out your water heater has broken down. Make sure you inspect your water heater for any leaks and flush out the tank before winter hits.

Be Ready for Anything

Weather around the country can be unpredictable no matter what season, but winter can be especially detrimental to your home. Knowing what preventative measures to take and double checking your home for any damage to repair before the colder months can make all the difference.