Checklist: Winterize Your Home

As cold weather approaches, it is important to take a few preventative measures to protect your home through the chilly months. Here is a checklist to help you prepare:

Check the attic, walls and basement for adequate insulation.

Feel around electrical outlets and switch-plates for cold air, add insulation where necessary.

Look around doors and windows for gaps and potential places where warm air can escape.

Caulk or apply weather-stripping around problem draft areas.

Consider replacing windows with energy efficient double-paned windows.

Clean gutters and downspouts in mid-fall and double-check them before winter.

Have a contractor look for damaged roof shingles and loose gutters.

Replace the filter in your furnace.

Have a heating/cooling expert look at your furnace if you are unsure of its efficiency.

Have chimneys and woodstoves cleaned early in the season.

Test the flue for each fireplace for a tight seal when closed.

Close any vents in your home that may have been opened for the warm weather.

Disconnect hoses from outside faucets and turn off the water.

Consider installing an overhang above the entrance to your home to make steps safer.

Buy a snow shovel and other winter supplies before the messy weather hits.

Keep extra water and canned food in storage just in case.