5 Simple Ways To Prepare Your Home For Winter

With another Midwest winter just around the corner, now is the perfect time to start preparing your home for cold weather. To help you do just that, we’ve put together a helpful list of home maintenance projects to tackle before winter strikes.

Taking the time to check these winter home maintenance projects off your list now will help prevent damage to your home and keep you and your family comfortable during the cold months. Check them out below!

1. Service Your HVAC Systems

The best time to ensure your furnace is working correctly is before you really need it. Waiting to get your furnace serviced until the very last minute can be bad news, as service calls tend to get backed up after the first cold spell of the season. It’s also important to check your furnace filter at least once a month and replace it if necessary to keep your furnace running in tip-top shape.

2. Remove Hoses from Outside Faucets

There’s no good time to deal with water damage, but it’s safe to say that winter is less than ideal. To prevent winter water damage, remove hoses from the exterior and garage faucets. When a hose is left attached during cold temperatures, water trapped in the faucet will freeze and destroy the tap or cause a pipe to burst.

3. Winterize Your Lawn Sprinkler System

Getting your sprinkler system ready for winter means draining all the water out of the pipes that feed the sprinkler system backflow preventer, the backflow preventer itself, and the underground valve box located in your yard. Just be sure to turn off the sprinkler system water valve located in your home before getting started! If winterizing your sprinkler system is outside your wheelhouse, hiring a sprinkler system professional is your best route.

4. Consider Investing in a Centralized Humidifier

Managing your home’s humidity levels is important and has the power to prevent devastating damage. Too much humidity can result in condensation and frost buildup on windows, patio doors, walls, and ceilings. It can also cause ice to form in the attic spaces of your home, which can result in severe structural damage if left unchecked.

Too little humidity is also harmful to your home. It can lead to excessive drywall cracking and static shock. Dry air can also cause joints in wood trim, flooring, and ceramic tile to shrink.

5. Seal Your Home’s Concrete

Concrete isn’t one of the first things homeowners think about when it comes to preparing their homes for winter. Yet, it’s essential to seal any cracks in your driveway, sidewalks, and patio beforehand. While they may seem minor now, freezing temperatures can cause the cracks to widen over time and lead to uneven, treacherous paths around your home.

Applying a manufacturer-approved concrete sealer before winter is also a great way to prevent damage from chemicals used to de-ice city streets. If de-icing chemicals find their way onto your concrete, be sure to wash them away as soon as possible. For extra traction or skid resistance during the winter, opt for cat litter or floor drying compound instead.

With these winter home maintenance projects taken care of, you’ll have peace of mind while you stay nice and cozy all winter long. And remember — if you have a question about prepping your Dabbert-built home for winter, feel free to reach out to our team. We’d be happy to answer any questions you may have.