How to prepare your home for winter

If you own a home in a region with serious winters, it’s a good idea to plan ahead. Driving gets dangerous, pipes freeze (maybe even burst), and repairs get pricier once the snow starts. Knowing how to prepare a home for winter can save you time and money. It can also spare you and your wallet from emergency repairs.

Early fall is the best time to start, before the first hard freeze in most places arrives. This guide covers the five biggest risk areas, and a winter preparedness checklist for your home.

1. Clean your roof and gutters

Clear your gutters and downspouts after the last leaves have fallen. Make sure you remove any leaves, sticks, and debris at least twice a year. Clogged gutters hold water, and that water can freeze. The ice can back up under your shingles and cause leaks and long-term damage. Without proper drainage, snow and melted ice can seep down into ceilings and walls.

• Have your roof inspected before winter. Replace worn or missing shingles while repairs are still small. The National Roofing Contractors Association recommends an inspection twice a year. If your roof has flat sections or valleys, clear out leaves and debris so they don't hold moisture.

• Watch for icicles along the roofline. According to the National Weather Service, they can signal poor attic insulation and present the risk of an ice dam, a ridge of ice that stops melting snow from draining off your roof.

In cases of heavy accumulation on your roof, waiting for ice or snow to melt may not be the safest way to go. If you need to clear your roof quickly, use a long-handled roof rake, also called a snow rake, from the ground. You can also hire a professional snow removal service. Stay off an icy roof.

2. Insulate pipes

Frozen pipes can lead to expensive repair bills. When water freezes, the ice expands and presses on the pipe, which can make it burst. Pipes on exterior walls, or in unheated spaces like basements, garages, and crawl spaces, are at the most risk.

• Wrap exposed pipes with a cloth or foam tubing to insulate them. Water pipes on the outside of your home should be insulated, too.
• Disconnect garden hoses. If your outdoor faucets have shutoff valves, turn them off and open the faucets to drain any remaining water. Add insulated faucet covers.
• Let indoor faucets trickle overnight when temperatures dip below freezing, especially if your power goes out, since there will be less heat to keep water moving.
• Set your thermostat to at least 68 degrees.
• Clear out your sprinkler system before the first freeze.

3. Trim risky tree limbs

High winds, ice, and snow can send branches, or entire trees, crashing down. Trim limbs that overhang or touch your house. Look for dead or cracked branches. This could look like bark that’s peeling, loose, or falling off in sheets. A red flag for trees that normally drop their leaves (most maples, ash, etc.), is a branch that’s still holding brown, withered leaves in midwinter. Consider pruning or removing branches that check these boxes — especially ones that lean toward your home. Purdue University warns against shaking snow-covered branches to avoid harming the tree or yourself.

4. Clear and salt walkways

If someone slips on ice on your walkway, you could face liability (or a very unhappy dinner guest). You could get hurt, too. Keep the walkways to your home shoveled and salted. Sand or gravel adds traction, too. Ice melt also works, but it has a narrow temperature range, and it can harm concrete, plants, and the environment, so use it sparingly if you don’t have other options. Buy ice melt and sand early, because stores can run low once storms are in the forecast. 

Pro tip: Clear, safe walkways also matter for home showings when selling. Read more tips for selling your house during the winter holidays.

5. Reduce fire risk

The likelihood of home fires goes up in the colder months, when heating equipment is running around the clock. A little prep now goes a long way toward keeping your household safe.

• Service your heating system. Have a qualified technician inspect and clean your furnace, boiler, or heat pump before the heating season starts. Replace filters regularly, and keep anything flammable (blankets, boxes, curtains, holiday decorations) at least three feet from vents, radiators, and space heaters.
• Have your chimney and fireplace inspected. If you burn wood, get the chimney cleaned each year to remove creosote buildup, which can ignite. Use a sturdy screen, and never leave a fire unattended or go to bed with embers still burning.
• Seal drafts safely. Caulk and weatherstrip around windows and doors to keep heat in and lighten the load on your heating system. Just be careful not to block vents or air intakes for fuel-burning appliances, which need airflow to run safely.
• Use space heaters with care. Plug them directly into a wall outlet, not an extension cord or power strip. Choose a model with automatic tip-over shutoff, and turn it off when you leave the room or go to sleep.

Winter preparedness checklist for your home

We’ve created this winter preparedness checklist using tips from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the National Weather Service, and some other sources. 

Use this checklist for your home to cover the priorities above. Every home and climate is different, so add tasks that fit your property, such as draining a pool or stocking firewood. Save the list to your phone or print it, and check off each item as you go. 

Heating and indoor air

☐ Have a professional inspect and tune up your furnace or heating system.

☐ Replace your heating system filter if it's dirty.

☐ Have a professional clean and inspect your chimney and fireplace, then sweep out old ash.

☐ Reverse your ceiling fans so they spin clockwise at low speed, which pushes warm air back down.

☐ Stock extra thermostat batteries if yours uses them.

☐ If your heating system has a humidifier, have it inspected and make sure the drain line is clear.

☐ Vacuum out lint from your dryer vent.

Safety devices

☐ Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and replace the batteries if needed.

☐ Check that your fire extinguishers are functional and easy to reach.

☐ Make sure exterior vents and your chimney are clear of nests and debris.

Windows, doors, and insulation

☐ Feel for drafts around windows and doors, then caulk any cracked or peeling seals.

☐ Replace worn weatherstripping and door sweeps.

☐ Remove and store window-mounted air conditioners.

☐ Try window insulation on leaky windows to keep the heat in and your energy bill lower.

☐ Have a professional check for heat loss through the roof, and add attic insulation if needed. 

☐ Seal cracks and gaps in your foundation and exterior walls to keep out cold air (and rodents).

☐ Put screens on intake vents to keep rodents out.

 Plumbing and water

☐ Insulate exposed pipes, including water lines near your foundation.

☐ Disconnect and drain garden hoses, including any water trapped in nozzles and sprayers.

☐ Shut off and drain outdoor faucets, then add insulated covers.

☐ Have your sprinkler system blown out.

☐ Test your sump pump by pouring a few gallons of water into the pit. Have a professional inspect it once a year.

☐ Find your main water shutoff valve so you can act fast if a pipe bursts. 

Roof, gutters, and exterior

☐ Clean your gutters and downspouts, and consider gutter guards.

☐ Inspect your roof, replace worn shingles, and clear debris from flat sections and valleys.

☐ Trim branches that overhang or touch your house.

☐ Clean wicker, plastic, resin, and wood patio furniture, then cover it with a tarp or other waterproof sheeting. 

☐ Cover teak and metal pieces, and bring in cushions and umbrellas.

☐ Winterize gas-powered outdoor equipment.

☐ Deep-clean your grill, disconnect the propane tank, and cover the grill.

If you’d rather keep using your patio, here’s how to create a warm outdoor space for winter.

 Driveway and walkways

☐ Stock up on salt, sand, or ice melt if using.

☐ Replace damaged snow shovels.

☐ Get your snow blower ready and check the belts. (You may want to buy a spare belt because they can be hard to find mid-season.)

☐ If you hire a plow service, book it now and mark the edges of your driveway.

 Emergency kit and power outage plan

☐ Build an emergency kit with non-perishable food, water, a first-aid kit, copies of important documents, flashlights or lanterns with extra batteries, and warm clothing. Add supplies for pets, children, older adults, and family members with disabilities.

☐ Keep backup battery banks charged so you can keep your phone running during an outage.

☐ If you use a generator, run it outdoors, at least 15-20 feet from any doorway, with the exhaust pointed away from your home.

☐ Keep an ice scraper, small shovel, and blankets in your car.

Ongoing during winter

 Review these tasks weekly, or more often during heavy weather:

☐ Check your roof for ice dams and damage.

☐ Clear driveways and walkways between storms.

☐ Keep large snowdrifts from piling up against your house.

☐ Check windows and doors for drafts.

☐ During a deep cold spell, which is below 15°F for more than 24 hours, open interior doors so heat can circulate.

☐ Maintain your snow removal equipment.

☐ Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors every three months. 

☐ If it's your first winter in the house, watch for ice dams so you can fix the cause next year.

Bottom line

A little prep now can keep a winter storm from turning into a home emergency. Work through the checklist one group at a time, and you can enjoy the snow from the warm of the indoors.

 Frequently asked questions