The holidays may have passed, but winter is far from over. As the snow begins to pile up, winterizing your home becomes crucial.
Here are 5 easy ways to winterize your home in time for the next snow storm:
- Clean the gutters. If you forgot to do this before the holidays, don’t worry – it’s not too late. Take a little time to clean out your gutters before the weather gets too bad, though. The heavy snow can cause a lot of damage if you haven’t cleaned out the leaves from fall.
- Keep the cold out. Check the doors and windows for drafts and buy or make a draft stopper to save money on your heating bills and keep your home warm and cozy. To make your own, grab some old fabric and fill it with sand or kitty litter. Or, try something a little more crafty by turning your draft stopper into a little critter. If necessary, invest in properly insulating your windows or installing storm doors and windows.
- Winterize Water and A/C lines. Be sure to drain pipes and hoses and make sure excess water isn’t pooled in the equipment. Likewise, store exterior hoses and turn off the spigots. It only takes a few minutes and will save you a major headache from dealing with any damage.
- Change furnace filters. It’s easy to do, but even easier to forget. You should be replacing or cleaning furnace filters every month during the winter to allow proper airflow. As a bonus, you’ll save money on your heating bills!
- Bust out the boots. Boots are wonderful for keeping your feet warm and protected against the snow, but they can wreak havoc on your home if you don’t take them off at the door. Make a cheap and easy pebble boot tray to drain the snow and keep it off your floors. To prevent damage to your boots, wine bottles, pool noodles, or rolled up magazines to keep them upright.
