Preparing Homes for a Winter Freeze

We are right in the middle of winter, so there’s no better time to get a refresher on some tactics and preparations you can take when expecting subzero temperatures. While we retreat inside our homes to stay warm and dry, the cold outside can wreak havoc on our plumbing and HVAC systems without the proper preparation

These recommendations can help ensure that your home is safe and secure for this type of cold weather, so continue reading below for a helpful list of some of the things you can do around your house.

Insulate Your Windows

One thing that you’ll want to avoid once the cold weather sets in is to have your energy bill skyrocket. This often occurs when you have a drafty window, which can keep your home from retaining heat well. 

So when you’re expecting cold weather, there are a few quick and affordable things you can do to make your windows more energy efficient. Consider adding some weather stripping along the sashes of the window, fill up any gaps with rope caulk, or adding a foam and fabric draft snake kit.

Protect Your Pipes

A costly and messy disaster that many homeowners have to deal with each winter is from bursting pipes after becoming frozen. 

Pipes are especially at risk if they run along an exterior wall, so you’ll want to assess the situation in your home so you can figure out how to best insulate them.

Pipe insulation is widely available and easy to install, though you can also let your faucet drip or leave cupboard doors open to keep pipes from freezing if you’ll be away for a few days.

Clear out Your Gutters

Something you’ll want to keep an eye on before winter hits each year and during the season is your rain gutters. These can easily get clogged and full of ice, which can cause ice dams that result in a lot of damage for your home. 

Each fall, remember to clear out any fallen leaves or debris from the gutters before winter and tighten gutter hangers and downspout brackets to make sure they don’t sag and trap any water that should be flowing out.

While not a comprehensive list of all the things you can do to make sure your home is safe during cold weather spells, it’s a good starting point to keep your home warm, cozy, and secure even if subzero temperatures set in. 

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Written by Bailey Schramm in partnership with industrial supplies and maintenance equipment distributor, IMS Bolt.