How to Get Your House Ready for Winter

The onset of autumn means it’s time to start thinking about how to winterize your home. Instead of trying to cram in everything when you hear snow is on its way, aim to do something every week starting at the end of August, and by Thanksgiving, you’ll likely be done and your home ready for another winter.

Make an appointment with a technician to have your furnace, fireplace, and chimney inspected and cleaned at least once a year, since well-maintained heating equipment will help keep your heating bills low and more efficiently heat your home. Having this type of maintenance performed in advance of winter will give you time, in case the technician discovers a problem. Inspections won’t cost a lot but will cost less than having to call a technician to come in the event of an emergency, like a smoke-filled room.

Windows, especially those in older homes, can let heat escape, keeping rooms chilly no matter how high your thermostat. You can get window kits with everything you need to cover your windows, including plastic and double-sided adhesive strips. The kits are easy to use and you can easily take down the plastic at the end of the season. You should also replace cracked or otherwise broken panes and look for windows that may have pulled away from their casements.

By the end of autumn, your gutters have likely filled with leaves and other debris. Getting gutters ready for winter means getting out your ladder and climbing up to clean your gutters. You can ease the work by holding a bucket in one hand and putting in it what you find in your gutter. Be careful not to overload the bucket, since it may make carrying it down your ladder difficult. You can circumvent the need to clean your gutters by having some type of gutter shield or protection method installed. Several types are available, including one that covers your gutters save an opening just big enough for water. If you don’t clean out your gutters, snow and ice may further clog your gutters.

After the season’s first snow is not the time to find out that you’ve misplaced your snow shovel or never replaced your broken ice chipper. Inspect your winter tools and replace what you need before the onset of winter. Don’t forget to check your de-icing supplies, since you may need some for iced-over sidewalks. While you’re at it, make sure you’re using a winterized windshield wiper fluid. Though not something that will get your home ready for winter, doing it when you check your other winter supplies may keep you from forgetting to do it at all.

William Henderson is a Boston-based writer who has been contributing to local and national newspapers and magazines for nearly 20 years. Pure Slush is publishing Henderson’s first book in 2013.