Getting Your Home Ready for Winter

As Thanksgiving gets closer, many of us are getting ready for winter by pulling out winter clothes and putting a snow brush in our car. We've compiled the following ways you can get your home ready and give yourself peace of mind during the cold months.

1. Clean leaves and debris out of eavestroughs, window wells, gutters and downspouts to keep water from pooling and freezing, causing more problems in the long run.
2. Trim shrubs and trees to keep branches from breaking and blowing onto your house.
3. Turn off outside water taps and bring in hoses. Water inside the hoses may freeze and expand causing damage.
4. Clear your chimney of obstructions. Birds' nests and any build up can cause smoke to back up or even be flammable and start a fire.
5. Check your roof for looses or broken shingles or flashing, and patch if necessary.
6. Redo caulking and weather-stripping around doors and windows, and fill any remaining gaps with insulation foam, to keep heat in. If you have drafty windows, an easy solution is to purchase plastic window insulation kits.
7. Check attics, basements, windows and doors for air leaks. By finding and repairing these leaks, you may save on heating.
8. Have your furnace checked by a professional. If you have a filter, make sure you change it.
9. Change out batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Not having functioning detectors at any time throughout the year can be dangerous, but in the winter when furnaces are on the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning increases.
10. Move flammable materials and electric appliances away from heating devices.
11. Reverse any ceiling fans to a clockwise direction to push warm air down from the ceiling.
12. Change outdoor lightbulbs and set automatic light timers for earlier hours of darkness.
13. Test your downspouts, to make sure you have proper drainage from the roof.
14. Make sure your shovel is handy, so that you don't have to go looking for it when the snow comes.
15. Start up your snow blower and if needed get it in for service.
16. Put away any objects outside that need to be housed in a garage or house for the winter.

These are just a few common tips to get your home ready for winter. By doing these simple items, you should be ready for the cold winter months and prevent any damage to your home.