How to prepare your house for winter
James Hecker of Hudson Valley Household and Jesse Dorazio of Royal Comfort share tips for winterizing your home (August 19, 2024).
It’s never too early to start thinking about winterizing your home, yes, even in August. With fall right around the corner, homeowners can start preparing their homes, which can save them time, money, and a lot of hassle once the temperatures start to drop.
While home improvements like new windows, doors and heating systems will make a difference in the long run, simple maintenance now can save you hundreds of dollars. Plus, some proactive preparation can make you and your home safer.
The Journal News/lohud reached out to some home maintenance experts in the Lower Hudson Valley and even accompanied them on the job to learn some of the best ways to prepare your home for winter now. Read on to see what we learned.
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Preparing your home for winter is all about peace of mind
According to Jesse Dorazio, owner of Royal Comfort HVAC in Port Chester, annual maintenance of your heating system (whether oil, gas, heat pump or something else) is a top priority for safety reasons.
“The last thing you want is (carbon monoxide) coming into your home,” Dorazio said. Dorazio and James Hecker, owner of Hudson Valley Household (also in Port Chester), both recommended installing CO detectors near heating systems, in a mechanical room or utility room. Be sure to change the batteries in these devices once a year, Hecker said.
Przemyslaw Jozefko, co-owner of Mr. Handyman of Westchester County in White Plains, said when temperatures drop, the first thing homeowners should do is check the battery on their thermostats. About 50% of the calls he received about heating systems not working were due to weak batteries.
“In winter, it’s all about insulation,” said Jozefko. “Make sure everything is ready before winter so there are no surprises, because it would be much more difficult if there was snow.”
Hecker repeated Jozefko’s arguments and pointed out that pipes could burst or water damage could occur in the basement in winter.
“It’s critical to insulate these pipes before winter,” Hecker said while installing polyurethane insulation on pipes at a customer’s home. “It’s something you can do at home,” but Hecker noted that it should be relatively inexpensive if you call a professional.
He strongly recommends carrying out annual maintenance and having the heater, boiler and pipes checked in early autumn.
“You spend a few hundred dollars up front for the service and have peace of mind in the winter,” Hecker said.
Use these tips to make your home winter-proof
Here are some more suggestions you can follow to winterize your home.
- Change the batteries for thermostats, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Test them to make sure they are working properly.
- Make sure that the exhaust air from heating appliances is not blocked from outside. If you have a chimney, make sure the flue is open and the chimney is swept.
- If you have a fireplace, be sure to cover it with glass when not in use.
- Make sure that external doors have appropriate weather stripping. Screen doors should be replaced with glass doors where possible. Attics and ceilings must be well insulated.
- Look at shovels and snow blowers. Buy snow melting products.
- Clean gutters and drains. Snow and ice can damage gutters and roofs if the gutters are clogged. Consider installing leaf guards on your gutters.
- Turn off the water supply to the faucet from inside. The faucet should be left open outside to ensure that excess water is drained and the pipe does not burst.
- Internal pipes near an external wall may need to be insulated.
- Always check with your local energy providers for current discount offers.
Contributors: Tania Savayan and Ashley Fontones of Lohud
