7 Tips To Get Your Home Ready For Winter

As a homeowner, spring brings cleaning and fall turns into prepping for old man winter. And just because you live in the Southeast doesn't mean you get to skip getting ready for the colder months. There's still the possibility of cold nights — and even snow or ice — so you'll want to take some simple precautions to keep your house warm and protect your pipes, home exterior and lawn equipment.

Here are seven steps you can take this fall to get your home winter ready.

1. Seal Leaks Around Windows and Doors

Windows and doors are common weak links for letting in the cold. Here's how to seal those leaks.

Windows

For windows, you can use self-adhesive foam weatherstripping on sliding or double-hung windows. Just be sure to use medium-density foam (not heavy-duty rubber). The heavier weatherstripping risks trapping too much moisture in the humid Southeast.

For leaks around non-moving parts, caulk is a great choice. Just be sure to use exterior-grade silicone caulk — not the interior type you might use for a sink or bathtub.

For more general insulation, consider investing in thermal curtains or cellular shades. Both of these will help keep the cold out in the winter — and the heat out in the summer.

Doors

The bottom of the door (at the threshold) is a common place for significant leakage. Consider installing a door sweep at the bottom of the door. It should be low enough that you can't see light from the outside but high enough that you can open the door without resistance or scraping.

For the door frame, medium-density foam weatherstripping with help seal leaks. Just make sure you can still close and lock the door. It's normal to feel a little resistance, but if it's too hard to close and lock, you'll need weatherstripping that is less thick.

2. Get Your HVAC System Serviced

You're probably used to getting your HVAC system serviced in the spring when the temperature starts to warm up. Alas, you should do it again in the winter, so you know your heat is in good working order to battle the cold. If you wait until it's cold and your heat fails, you may have wait for service.

3. Insulate Pipes

Many houses in the Southeast aren't well insulated — because they didn't need to be. The temperature rarely gets cold enough to warrant the type of insulation common in northern homes. That said, there's still the possibility your pipes could freeze — especially if there's are some exceptionally cold nights or if a power outage means your heat is out too.

The pipes most at risk of freezing are those on exterior walls (especially where hoses are attached), in basements or garages and those coming from the basement. The easiest way to insulate is with pre-slit foam pipe insulation (also called pipe insulation sleeve). You can typically find it at any hardware store or DIY big box store. You just need to know the diameter of your pipes and how many linear feet of pipe you need to cover.

One other place to think about: the water lines behind your dishwasher. These are often on uninsulated exterior walls and may freeze more quickly than other pipes since they have water running through them less frequently than other places in your house.