How to Prep Your Home for Winter

Hi friends,

The days are getting shorter, the temps are getting chillier, and it’s almost time to prep your home for winter. Can you believe how fast the days fly by? Keep reading for our tips on how to have a stress-free season and protect your home from the cold, including a few from seasoned pro Andrew Belanger, the Associate Director of Condo Management here at BRIGS. 

1. Seal exterior wood.
Keep your exterior window and door trims in tip-top shape by sealing and painting them every fall before the cold comes. If your trims have chipped, flaky paint or cracked caulk, simply scrape it away and reapply. This will ensure your trims don’t rot, and keep them looking fresh for years. 

2. Check your windows and doors.
As heating season begins, make sure the interiors of your windows and doors have tight seals. Older homes especially might have gaps or drafty seals. If replacing windows and doors isn’t realistic, a few easy, cost-effective options include installing weather stripping, using draft stoppers under doors, and ensuring your windows are closed completely and locked.

3. Mind your heat.
Before it gets chilly, have your HVAC system inspected by a professional, and change out your filters for the new season.

As soon as temperatures really start dropping, be sure to set your heat to at least 60-65 degrees. (Warmer is always nice, too.) Keeping your thermostat set to this level will help prevent any damage to your plumbing lines due to freezing. On very cold days, open any cabinets or closets that contain plumbing lines. This will allow the warm air into those cavities, which may otherwise be prone to freezing.

4. Clean your gutters.
Once most of the leaves have fallen from the trees, it’s time to clean your gutters. If gutters aren’t maintained, they can overflow, causing water to drip and damage your home’s exterior. It can also lead to leaks and cracks in your foundation.

5. Watch your water.
Turn off all of your exterior water sources. Even if you have a frost-free spigot, we recommend turning off your faucet and letting the water drain out. We also recommend leaving the faucet open slightly to allow any residual water to drain out. (Just remember to shut the faucet off in the spring before you turn your water back on.)

6. Check your alarm systems.
Finally, it’s always a good idea to ensure your smoke detector and carbon monoxide detectors are in working order before winter. With the increase in the use of heaters, fireplaces, ovens and crockpots, winter is when most house fires occur.

Until next time,
The BRIGS Team