Preparing Your Home for Winter Checklist

Longtime Ohioans know that cold weather sometimes arrives faster than expected. The best time to prepare your home for fall and winter is before the last leaves fall and the final buckeyes drop. After you’ve worked to get your lawn and garden ready for fall, use this checklist to prepare your home for cold temperatures, ice and snow. Download the checklist.

Best outside home winter prep

Properly prepping your house for fall and winter helps keep the cold, snow and ice from damaging your home’s interior and exterior. Winterizing your home can also boost indoor comfort and reduce utility bills. If you rent, talk to your landlord to confirm what tasks are your responsibility.

Drain and shut off water

Drain or blow out outdoor pipes, valves and sprinkler heads to prevent freezing water and burst pipes. Shut off the water to outside faucets and cover them with outdoor faucet covers, which you can find at your local home center.

Stow hoses

After their last use, disconnect and wrap hoses, and store them indoors to prevent cracking.

Check and clean out gutters

Make sure gutters are securely attached so heavy snow and ice don’t pull them from the house. Clean out gunk to prevent clogging, leaks and ice dams. If you live in a multi-story home, hire a professional to reduce the risk of falling.

Inspect the roof

Missing or damaged shingles or flashing (material that directs water away from seams and joints in the roof) can lead to leaks. Fix or replace shingles and seal joints where water could get in, using a caulk gun or roofing cement. This work likely requires a licensed roofing expert.

Check vents and openings

As temperatures fall, small animals and insects look for warm places to shelter. Make sure all openings and vents are properly covered to keep out rodents, birds and insects.

Prune close-hanging tree branches

Do a house walk-around and look for tree branches hanging over or close to your home or electrical wires. Trim the branches (or hire professionals to do it) to prevent heavy snow and winds from breaking them off.

Best inside home winter prep

Cold air can get inside through gaps around window glass and sills, worn-out weather stripping, poor insulation and cracks. Small steps now can keep you warm and cozy through the winter months.

Seal leaks

The cold is crafty and will find every crack or gap in your house. Hold a lit incense stick near doors, windows, skylights, openings around vents, fixtures, light switches and plugs to check for drafts. (You can also buy a handheld infrared thermometer to detect temperature drops.) Add or replace weather stripping, caulk or foam sealer around windows and doors to seal gaps.

Check the furnace

Catch any potential problems with your furnace to prevent an unwelcome surprise on a sub-zero day. Have your furnace serviced — cleaned and checked — before it’s time to turn it on. If you haven’t been replacing the air filter per your furnace’s recommended schedule, now is a good time to install a new one.

Protect pipes from freezing

Wrap pipes that are more apt to freeze and burst — those exposed in basements, crawl spaces or attics — with insulation. You can find foam pipe sleeves, rubber sleeves and insulating tape at your local home center.

Clean the chimney

Creosote is a hardened material that can build up in chimneys and stovepipes when wood burns. This buildup can cause home fires. Have a professional inspect and clean your chimney before your first fire of the season. It’s also a good time to confirm there are no drafts when the damper is closed.

Change the ceiling fan direction

In the winter, your ceiling fan blades should rotate clockwise. A switch on the ceiling fan changes the direction. Keep your fans on a low setting. This easy fix will push warm air back down into the room.

FAQ/People also ask

When should I start preparing my home for fall and winter?

Start preparing your home for fall and winter in September and October. For Ohioans, this gives you enough time to work through your checklist before the first freeze. Finish indoor tasks before you need to run the heat consistently.

What is the most important thing to do before winter to protect my home?

The most important thing to do before winter to protect your home is to safeguard your water supply. Drain outdoor pipes, cover faucets and insulate exposed indoor pipes to prevent burst pipes, which are among the costliest cold-weather home repairs.

Do I need to hire a professional for fall home prep?

Some tasks, like inspecting the roof, cleaning the chimney and servicing your furnace, are best handled by a licensed professional. Others, like storing hoses, changing ceiling fan settings and sealing small gaps, are straightforward to do yourself.