Winterize Your Home Before the First Snow
Direct answer: Winterizing your home means sealing it against the cold, servicing the heat, protecting the pipes, and stocking supplies — and doing it all before the first snow, while the work is still easy. Ready.gov, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the CDC all give the same message: a few hours of preparation in the fall can save you from frozen pipes, a dead furnace, and a cold, dark week in January.
Seal out the cold
Start with the shell of the house. Ready.gov says to prepare your home to keep out the cold with insulation, caulking, and weather stripping. The Department of Energy gets specific: seal air leaks around utility cut-throughs for pipes, gaps around chimneys and recessed lights in insulated ceilings, and unfinished spaces behind cupboards and closets. Then add caulk or weatherstripping to seal air leaks around leaky doors and windows. Every gap you close is cold air that never reaches your pipes, your floors, and your heating bill.
A furnace that fails in January is an emergency; a furnace serviced in November is a chore. The Department of Energy says to schedule routine service for home heating systems, and to replace furnace and heat pump filters once a month or as needed. If you heat with wood or pellets, regularly clean the flue vent of the heater and the inside of the appliance. Keep the fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning — an open damper is like keeping a window wide open in winter — and when you do use the fireplace, lower the thermostat setting to between 50 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit. The CDC adds the same rule from the safety side: have your heating system serviced by a qualified technician every year. One more habit pays for itself: when you are home and awake, set the thermostat as low as is comfortable, and turn it back when you are asleep or out of the house. The Department of Energy says that can save as much as 10 percent a year on your heating and cooling bills.
Protect the pipes
Frozen pipes are the most common winter home disaster, and the cheapest to prevent. The CDC says that when you are expecting very cold or freezing temperatures, you should leave all water taps slightly open so they drip continuously, keep the temperature inside your home warm, and open cabinet doors beneath the kitchen and bathroom sinks so heated air can reach the pipes. Ready.gov gives the same advice in short form: learn how to keep pipes from freezing before the freeze arrives. If your pipes do freeze, do not thaw them with a torch. The CDC says to thaw them slowly with warm air from an electric hair dryer. If you cannot thaw your pipes, or the pipes have broken open, use bottled water or get water from a neighbor's home.
Detectors and supplies
Finally, prepare for the week the power goes out. Ready.gov says to install and test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors with battery backups, and to gather supplies in case you need to stay home for several days without power — keeping each person's specific needs in mind, including medication, remembering the needs of your pets, and keeping extra batteries for radios and flashlights. The CDC adds that you should install a battery-operated carbon monoxide detector, and that generators must be used at least 20 feet from any window, door, or vent — never inside the home, the basement, the garage, or near windows. The Department of Energy adds one small setting that is easy to forget: keep the water heater at the warm setting, 120 degrees Fahrenheit. If heating costs are a problem, Ready.gov points to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP, for help with heating costs and energy-related home repairs. Check the weather alerts page and the site's cold safety guidance before the first storm, and read the frozen pipes guide, the home heating safety guide, and the carbon monoxide safety guide so you know what to check before the cold arrives.
Frequently asked questions
When should I winterize my home?
Do it in the fall, before the cold arrives — sealing, servicing, and stocking are all much easier while the weather is still mild. The checklist in this guide comes from Ready.gov, the Department of Energy, and the CDC.
How do I keep my pipes from freezing?
The CDC says to leave all water taps slightly open so they drip continuously, keep the temperature inside your home warm, and open cabinet doors beneath the kitchen and bathroom sinks so heated air can reach the pipes.
How often should my heating system be serviced?
Have your heating system serviced by a qualified technician every year, and replace furnace and heat pump filters once a month or as needed, according to the CDC and the Department of Energy.
Do I really need a carbon monoxide detector?
Yes. Ready.gov says to install and test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors with battery backups. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can kill you, your family, and your pets.
Sources
- Ready.gov - Winter Weather
- U.S. Department of Energy - Fall and Winter Energy-Saving Tips
- CDC - Safety Guidelines: During and After a Winter Storm
About the author
WND Editorial Team — The World Natural Disasters editorial team curates disaster information from official scientific and humanitarian sources, reviews safety guidance against public-agency recommendations, and maintains the historical database.
Written and reviewed under our editorial policy. Factual claims cite the sources listed above.
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