Winterizing a Home: Pipes, Drafts, and Systems to Address Before the Freeze

Walk through every unheated area of your home — garage, crawl space, basement, and any exterior wall cavities — and identify pipes that run without insulation. These are most vulnerable to freezing. Measure the pipe diameter and purchase foam pipe sleeves or self-sealing insulation wrap in matching sizes. Slide the sleeves over each pipe and tape seams with foil tape. Pay special attention to pipes near exterior walls or in areas where temperatures drop below freezing overnight.

Disconnect and store all garden hoses before the first freeze — water left in a hose can back up into the pipe and damage the spigot. Turn off the interior shutoff valve feeding each outdoor hose bib, then open the outside faucet to let residual water drain. If you have an in-ground irrigation or sprinkler system, have it professionally blown out with compressed air, or follow your system manufacturer's winterization procedure carefully. Leaving water trapped in irrigation lines commonly leads to cracked pipes and costly spring repairs.

On a cold or windy day, move a lit stick of incense (or use your hand) slowly along door frames, window edges, and utility penetrations such as where pipes, cables, and ducts pass through exterior walls. Flickering smoke or a felt draft indicates a gap. Apply fresh weatherstripping to door frames where the old material is compressed or torn. Install door sweeps on the interior base of exterior doors with visible daylight beneath them. Use exterior-grade caulk to seal gaps around window frames, utility pipe entries, and foundation sill plates. Interior gaps around electrical outlets on exterior walls can be addressed with foam gaskets behind the faceplate.

Replace your furnace or air handler filter with a clean one of the correct MERV rating for your system — check your owner's manual if unsure. A clogged filter forces your system to work harder and reduces heat output. Clear the area around your furnace or boiler of stored items, lint, and combustible materials. Test your thermostat by setting it five degrees above room temperature and confirming the system fires up within a few minutes. Check that all vents and registers throughout the home are unobstructed by furniture or rugs. If your system has not been professionally serviced within the past year, schedule a tune-up with a licensed HVAC technician before cold weather peaks.

Heating season is the peak period for carbon monoxide incidents, as furnaces, fireplaces, and portable heaters all run more frequently. Press the test button on every smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector in your home. Replace batteries in any battery-operated units, even if they pass the test — cold temperatures can accelerate battery drain. Carbon monoxide detectors have a lifespan of roughly five to seven years; check the manufacture date on the back and replace any that are past their service life.

Poor attic insulation allows heat to escape through the roof deck, raising energy bills and creating conditions for ice dams — ridges of ice that form at the eaves and can force water beneath shingles. From inside the attic, check that insulation covers the entire floor area without gaps and that it meets or exceeds the depth recommended for your climate zone (the U.S. Department of Energy publishes regional guidelines). Do not block soffit vents with insulation — these must remain clear to allow airflow that keeps the roof deck cold and prevents ice dams. If insulation is significantly below recommended levels, adding blown-in or batt insulation is a project where a licensed contractor can provide the most reliable result.

Most ceiling fans have a reverse switch that changes blade rotation to clockwise when viewed from below. Running a fan slowly in this direction during winter pushes warm air that has risen to the ceiling back down along the walls without creating a cooling breeze. Check the switch on the fan's motor housing and set it before cold weather arrives. If you have a wood-burning fireplace or stove, inspect the damper to confirm it opens and closes fully, and have the chimney cleaned and inspected by a certified chimney sweep if you plan to use it this season. Creosote buildup is a leading cause of chimney fires.