Six ways to prepare your home for cold weather
- Have your heating system tuned up by a technician.
- If your home suffers from too many icicles in the winter, a home energy auditor or weatherization contractor can identify and fix air leaks and inadequate insulation in your home’s attic.
- Have your roof checked for damaged or missing shingles. Have a roofer check for and repair any breaks in the flashing seals, skylights and around vent stacks and chimneys.
- Make sure the caulk around windows and doors is well-sealed; have it re-done if needed. Add weatherstripping as needed around doors, making sure you cannot see any light through gaps between door and frame.
- Have your gutters cleaned to keep water from backing up and causing damage to roofing, siding and trim. Have the contractor check for missing or damaged gutters and fascia boards and repair them.
- Turn off exterior faucets; undrained water in pipes can freeze, causing pipes to burst. Disconnect all garden hoses and then cover faucets with outdoor faucet covers.
