How to Prepare Your Home for Cold Weather

The leaves are starting to turn colors, there's a briskness in the air and winter is rapidly approaching. But is your home ready for the cold weather this year? Find out for sure and make certain you're prepared for winter by reading how to prepare your lawn for cold weather, how to prepare your house for cold weather and how to prepare your car for cold weather. Get these things checked off your list before the leaves start to fall so you can be sure you're prepared for the winter.

Prepare your yard

• Service weather-specific equipment
  • Tune-up or service snow blowers
  • Replace old and worn rakes and snow shovels
  • Sharpen ice choppers and buy bags of ice-melt / sand
  • Buy extra bags of rock salt
  • Clean, dry and store summer gardening equipment
  • Drain gas from lawnmowers
• Aerate
  • Use an aerator to allow air to reach the grass stems. This will prevent them from dying and creating ugly patches on your lawn.
• Fertilize and Reseed
  • Late October is the best time to fertilize and reseed your lawn to keep it strong through the freezing weather. As winter comes, your grass will need good fertilizer to grow deeper roots so it can withstand the cold weather.
  • Reseeding your lawn before winter will not only protect it against the cold, but it will also ensure strong healthy grow at the beginning of spring.
• Prune
  • Pruning after the leaves turn and plants are dormant is important to encourage healthy growth in spring.
  • Trim tree branches that hang too close to the house or electrical wires.
• Protect cold-sensitive plants
  • Protect plants that have experienced frost damage in the past by spreading a layer of mulch around the base of plants before the temperature dips down to provide insulation for the winter. Wait until spring to fertilize shrubs and trees.
  • Relocate cold-sensitive plants by potting them and moving them indoors. While your lawn and larger trees will survive the winter cold, bulb flowers and other plants are far more delicate and will die if left out during the winter season.
• Keep lawn cut short and water frequently
  • Cut grass short to prevent it from drying out and dying as the weather gets colder. The MySears community recommends using the Craftsman 21'' Front Wheel Drive Limited Edition Mower.
  • Be sure to water the lawn regularly.
• Remove any debris and clean gutters
  • Rake away debris and edible vegetation from foundation.
  • Remove debris, such as dead leaves and rocks, from your lawn. Any debris left on your lawn during the cold season may smother and kill your grass.
  • Clean all exterior gutters using the Craftsman Gutter Cleaning Accessory Kit. Clogged gutters can result in basement flooding when the snow melts. Check for ice in your gutters regularly.
  • Consider installing leaf guards on the gutters or extensions on the downspouts to direct water away from the home.
  • Replace worn roof shingles or tiles
• Seal driveways, brick patios and wood decks.
  • Cold weather is tough on walkways and patios. Shifts in temperature and humidity can cause concrete and brick to heave and settle unevenly.
  • Keeping them free of water build up and debris will reduce the chances of winter damage. If you noticed water or ice accumulation last winter, take steps now to provide proper drainage. This can be as simple as adding a small gravel drainage channel next to a walkway, or fixing a gutter that drips onto steps.

Prepare your house

• Windows and Doors
  • Make sure caulking around all doors and windows is sufficient to minimize loss of heat. Reviewers recommend using the Craftsman C3 19.2 volt Caulk Gun.
  • Caulk around window and door glass and trim, and all exterior trim.
  • Add weather stripping to exterior doors to ensure tight seal and prevent cold air from entering the home.
  • Use draft stoppers under doorways to prevent drafts.
  • If windows are especially drafty, install window insulation kits, which are available at home improvement stores.
  • Replace cracked glass in windows. If you end up replacing the entire window, prime and paint exposed wood.
  • Check all window and door locks for proper operation: lubricate locks or hinges with WD4-40 if necessary.
• Pipes
  • Locate your water main in case you need to shut it off in an emergency.
  • Shut off any outdoor hoses at their indoor source, drain and store hoses inside.
  • Insulate exposed plumbing pipes.
  • Drain air conditioner pipes, and if your AC has a water shut-off valve, turn it off.
  • Prevent plumbing freezes while you're on vacation by leaving the heat on and set to at least 55 degrees.
  • Check for cracks around pipes and electrical outlets entering or exiting the walls.
• Plumbing
  • Check for gaps in the caulk around bathroom fixtures. Properly sealing the space between tub, toilet, sink and your flooring material prevents damage to your subfloor. 
  • Clear out sink drains in kitchen and all bathrooms.
  • Check water heater for leaks; insulate if necessary.
  • Check all pipes for water leaks.
  • Check dehumidifier. Hook up piping to sump pump or drain for moisture removal.
• Foundations
  • Seal up entry points to keep small animals from crawling under the house.
  • Seal foundation cracks. Mice can slip through space as thin as a dime.
  • Check foundation for areas where water may puddle.
  • Inspect sill plates for pest infestation or dry rot.
  • Secure crawlspace entrances.
  • Check flashing to ensure water cannot enter the home.
• Furnace & Heating
  • Replace your furnace filter at least once every season; however it's recommended to change them monthly.
  • Clean and vacuum furnace filter area. Remove all flammable material from the area surrounding your furnace.
  • Have a heating professional check your heating system annually.
  • Consider switching out your thermostat for a programmable thermostat. 
  • If your home is heated by a hot-water radiator, bleed the valves by opening them slightly and when water appears, close them. 
  • Vacuum all air registers
• Fireplace & Chimney
  • Cap or screen the top of the chimney to keep out rodents and birds. 
  • Remove any bird nests from flues or other outdoor areas such as lighting fixtures near the house.
  • If the chimney hasn't been cleaned for a while, call a chimney sweep to remove soot and creosote. 
  • Have certified chimney professional check all chimneys and wood stoves annually.
  • Buy firewood or chop wood. Reviewers recommend the Fiskars 23 in. Chopping Ax. Store the wood in a dry place away from the exterior of your home.
  • Inspect the fireplace damper for proper opening and closing.
  • Ensure all chimneys are well insulated.
  • Check the mortar between bricks and tuckpoint, if necessary.
  • Use fans to circulate heat from fireplaces to other rooms.
• Ensure insulation in cellar and attic
  • If your weather temperature will fall below 32 degrees in the winter, adding extra insulation to the attic will prevent warm air from creeping to your roof and causing ice dams. R-30 insulation is considered the minimum. If your house is relatively new, it probably conforms. If not, consider adding insulation.
  • If your home has a basement, consider protecting its window wells by covering them with plastic shields.
• Install Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
  • Buy extra smoke detector batteries and change them when daylight savings ends.
  • Install a carbon monoxide detector near your furnace and/or water heater.
  • Test smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector to make sure they work.
  • Buy a fire extinguisher or replace an extinguisher older than 10 years.
• Indoor Emergency Kit
  • Keep emergency kit in a dry, easy-to-access location.
  • Batteries, batteries, batteries
  • Flashlight and battery-powered lamp / lantern for use during a power shortage.
  • Find the phone numbers for your utility companies and tape them near your phone or inside the phone book.
  • Buy a battery back-up to protect your computer and sensitive electronic equipment.
  • Bottled water
  • Non-perishable food supplies (including baby food and/or pet food)
  • Non-electric can opener
  • Blankets 
  • First-aid kit
  • Battery Powered Radio
  • Prescription Drugs
  • Prepare an evacuation plan in the event of an emergency.

Prepare your car

• Go to a Sears Auto Center to get the following items checked:
  • Antifreeze levels
  • Battery and ignition system
  • Brakes
  • Exhaust system
  • Fuel and air filters
  • Heater and Defroster
  • Lights and flashing hazard lights
  • Oil
  • Thermostat
  • Windshield wiper equipment
• Install good winter tires
  • Make sure the tires have adequate tread. All-weather radials are usually adequate for most winter conditions. However, some jurisdictions require that to drive on their roads, vehicles must be equipped with chains or snow tires with studs.
• Maintain at least a half tank of gas during the winter season.
• Car Emergency Kit
  • Windshield scraper & small broom
  • Shovel
  • Flashlight
  • Extra Batteries
  • Battery Powered Radio
  • Bottled Water & Snack Food
  • Matches
  • Extra hats, socks & mittens
  • First-aid kit with pocket knife
  • Necessary medications
  • Blanket(s)
  • Tow rope or chain
  • Road salt and sand
  • Booster cables
  • Emergency Flares & Fluorescent distress flag