When cold weather approaches, it's essential to get your home ready for winter. Winterizing your home will help keep you warm, prevent damage to home systems, and save money on your energy bill.

Learn how to winterize your home with our comprehensive checklist so you can rest stress-free this winter.

18 Ways to Winterize Your Home

Staying comfortable during the winter weather can be simple with help from ARS/Rescue Rooter. Here are some of the most effective tips from our experts to help you create a home winterization checklist.

1. Clean the Gutters

Winter brings frequent storms that can send heavy rain or snow onto your roof. Cleaning your gutters ensures the water can easily drain instead of pooling up.

Clogged gutters could lead to water damage on your roof or water spilling over into window wells or other unwanted areas.

2. Check Your Roof

Before the rains hit, check the roof for leaks or damaged roofing materials. These could lead to escaping heat or extensive damage that could leave you with high repair bills in the middle of winter.

3. Protect Pipes

Having your pipes insulated by a professional at ARS can keep your pipes from freezing. Frozen pipes bursting is a real pain but easily prevented!

Additionally, insulating your hot water pipes reduces heat loss and can raise water temperature 2°F–4°F hotter than non-insulated pipes, allowing you to lower your water temperature setting and potentially save money on your utility bill.

Don't forget to protect your outdoor pipes as well! Drain your sprinkler system, insulate exterior pipes, and disconnect garden hoses before the first hard freeze.

4. Clean Your Chimney

If you didn't have it done earlier in the year, have your chimney cleaned before you start using your fireplace. When you're not using your fireplace, keep the damper closed to prevent heat loss.

5. Reverse Ceiling Fan Direction

Did you know the direction of ceiling fan blades controls whether air goes up or down? In the winter, when your heater is running, reversing your ceiling fan pushes warm air near the ceiling down to the floor. This greatly reduces your energy use and can lower your utility bills!

6. Change Furnace Filters

Changing your filter is a simple way to keep your home system running smoothly. If you have a furry friend at home who sheds or you live next to a farm or construction area, be sure to check your filter monthly, and change it when it looks dirty.

7. Install a Programmable Thermostat

Smart thermostats, when installed properly by ARS, can lower energy consumption. Saving energy means you leave a smaller carbon footprint. A smart thermostat minimizes temperature swings by adjusting closer to the desired temperature than manual thermostats, resulting in lower utility bills.

8. Check Your Attic Insulation

Heat rises and builds up in the highest part of your home. If your attic doesn't have proper insulation, the heat will escape quickly, and your furnace will have to work overtime to keep things warm.

Check and make sure the insulation is thick and properly installed so your home will stay warmer longer. If you're not sure what good insulation looks like, call ARS/Rescue Rooter, and we'll help you out.

9. Seal Air Gaps

Tiny air gaps in windows, doors, and fixtures may not seem like much, but they can lead to heat loss during the cold months. To seal gaps, try the following:

• Check for leaks by holding a candle near the outside edges of window frames or doors. If the flame goes out or flickers, then apply caulk to seal the leak.
• You can also apply weather stripping around your doors and windows, which will allow you to open them after you apply it (unlike rope caulk).
• Seal any drafts you find in your trim, electrical outlets, and recessed lighting.

10. Clean Dryer Vents

Lint and other particles can clog your dryer vent. Clean the vent before the cold weather sets in to prevent fires, carbon monoxide buildup, and higher energy bills.

11. Test Your Smoke Detectors

It's a good idea to check your smoke detectors at least twice a year, and you can easily make this task part of your winterizing to-do list. Check the batteries on your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to see if they need to be changed. If the batteries are good, most detectors will sound a loud alarm when you press the "test" button.

12. Lay Down Rugs

Hardwood floors are attractive, but rugs help seal in heat, keep your feet warm, and add more personality to your space. Adding thick rugs can help keep your home warmer this winter and give your furnace a rest.

13. Install Window Treatments

Heat can escape through windows, even if you think they're completely sealed. To make sure your windows are ready for cold months, you can:

• Mount insulated curtains
• Put up insulating plastic and seal it around the windows
• Consider installing storm shutters if you live in an area with extreme weather

These techniques will prevent warm air from escaping and keep cool air from coming in.

14. Insulate Garage Doors

Your garage door is likely not insulated, which means it can let heat out during the cold months. You can insulate your garage door by adding precut insulation panels. This will keep the warm air trapped in the garage and help keep your home warmer.

15. Clean Your HVAC Ducts

Have your air ducts cleaned and checked for leaks. Dirty ducts can affect your indoor air quality at a time when you're getting less fresh air in your home anyway. Meanwhile, leaks will waste energy and add to your heating bill.

16. Get a Heating System Tune-Up

A heating tune-up by an ARS professional can instantly improve your home's energy efficiency. A neglected HVAC system must work much harder to heat and cool your home, while a finely tuned furnace or air conditioner can take less energy to maintain indoor comfort.

Call 866-399-2885 to schedule a furnace tune-up with ARS/Rescue Rooter. Our comprehensive tune-up includes:

• Cleaning the blower compartment
• Tightening wire connections
• Cleaning and adjusting the burners
• Cleaning or replacing the filter
• Inspecting the heat exchanger, gas pressure and flame operation, and igniter or pilot light

This preventative maintenance may help you avoid furnace failure during the months when you need heat most.

17. Prep Your Water Heater

Have your water heater flushed and checked for leaks. Install a water heater blanket for added insulation against heat loss. This care can prevent your water heater from overworking or breaking down mid-winter.

18. Install or Check Your Sump Pump

In the basement, test your sump pump and look for signs of moisture. Consider purchasing a backup sump pump or battery backup.

We Can Help You with Winterizing Your Home

This home winterization checklist can go a long way toward preparing your home for the winter. With your home ready and protected from the cold, you can relax and stay warm all winter without having to worry about high energy bills or expensive repairs.

Let us help you get ready for the cold by scheduling a tune-up or a furnace replacement. The experts at ARS/Rescue Rooter can get the job done in record time with competitive pricing. Find a location and call us today at 866-399-2885 to get started prepping your home for winter.