Tips for winterizing your home to avoid burst pipes, roof damage

Like it or not, winter will be here before you know it. It’s crucial to take precautions so Jack Frost’s icy touch doesn’t freeze up your pipes or pull down your gutters. When it comes to winterizing your home, there are a number of measures you can take to make sure you’re prepared for the heavy snow and ice that the season brings.

FROZEN PIPES

As water flows through a pipe and then freezes, it expands and can create a crack along the pipe. When the ice thaws, the pipe can burst, leaving you with a watery mess and a pricy problem to fix. In order to avoid this situation, these steps will get you headed in the right direction:

Keep your thermostat at a consistent temperature
If you’re going to be away for an extended period of time, shut off your water and drain your pipes
Disconnect garden hoses from exterior faucets to avoid water freezing in the hose and damaging the spigot
Keep your cabinet doors open to allow warm air to reach the plumbing
Add insulation to attics and basements so they maintain higher temperatures

FALLEN GUTTERS, ROOF DAMAGE

Ice dams, icicles and excessive snow loads can all contribute to fallen gutters and roof damage in the winter. Before the winter weather strikes, be sure to prepare your roof and gutters for the possibility of these perils.

Keep your gutters clean. If your yard has any trees, there’s a good possibility leaves will end up in your gutter. If leaves are clogging your gutters, it will speed up the possibility of ice dams when snow and ice fill them up.
Consider salting your gutters.
Cut away tree branches that hang over your house. If snow builds up on the branches, they will get heavy and are more likely to fall on your gutters and rooftop.
Consider adding gutter guards. Gutter guards stop debris from clogging gutters and weighing them down.

HEAT LOSS

When you come inside from the bitter cold, the last thing you want is a drafty house. To prevent that chilly air from slipping in through the cracks, there are a few measures you can take so you can stay warm and toasty.

Caulk around the windows. Caulking any air-leaking spaces around the exterior of your house is one of the simplest and most effective way to stop the infiltration of cold air.
Install storm windows. If your home doesn’t already have these, consider this addition to provide an extra layer of protection between your interior window and the ice and cold.
Inspect the weather stripping around exterior doors. If you notice sunshine peeking through the bottom of your door, consider adding a door sweep. A door sweep is a cost-effective way to prevent cold air from leaking in. They’re also good for keeping the air conditioning inside in the summertime.

REVERSE CEILING FANS

A simple but effective step to take to keep your home warm is to reverse the fan-blade rotation of your ceiling fans. In the summer, the counterclockwise-flowing air pushes down cooling breezes. But in the winter, by reversing the rotation to clockwise, the fan will force warm air that’s trapped at the ceiling down into the room.

Tips for winterizing your home to avoid burst pipes, roof damage

FROZEN PIPES

FALLEN GUTTERS, ROOF DAMAGE

HEAT LOSS

REVERSE CEILING FANS

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