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9 Tips for Getting Your Home Ready for Winter Weather
 
There is no doubt that winter is finally here. Before the coldest days of the season get here, make sure your home is ready for whatever Old Man Winter may throw your way:
  1. Be sure you have firewood. If you have a fireplace in your home, make sure that you have enough firewood on hand to last through the season.
  2. Hire a chimney sweep. They will thoroughly clean your chimney, flue and smoke ducts. If a chimney is full of soot, creosote, and dirt, carbon monoxide from a burning fire may get trapped inside. This could lead to serious health problems for your family.
  3. Be sure the gutters are clear of debris. If you didn’t already do so this past fall, hire a professional gutter cleaner. They will be able to get all the leaves, twigs, acorns, pinecones and other outdoor debris out of your rain gutter system. This way, melting snow and ice from the top of your home will flow out through the downspouts. With clogged gutters, all that moisture may cause problems for your roof, siding, and foundation.
  4. Get your furnace or boiler inspected. Before the coldest temperatures of the season arrive, get your heating system inspected and maintained by a professional. Many of our Oncourse Home Solutions regional brands offer comprehensive Heating Maintenance Plans. Potential heating system problems could be caught early and taken care of before they get worse.
  5. Weatherize your home. If you haven’t already done so, check the seals around your window and door frames. Add extra caulking and sealant where necessary. Also, check for cracks in your home’s foundation. These areas will also need to be filled and sealed so that cold air doesn’t get inside.
  6. Prepare a winter emergency kit. In case you lose power at your home, it’s a great idea to have an emergency kit ready for use. Inside the kit, you need to have one gallon of water per person for a minimum of three days. You should also have flashlights, extra batteries, a first aid kit, spare blankets, extra clothes, a battery-powered radio, and non-perishable food to last each person for at least three days.
  7. Call an arborist. If you have trees on your property, trim any limbs that are hanging over your home or close to windows. During a winter storm, snow and ice may pile up on the branches and cause them to be extremely heavy. They may snap and fall on your roof or into your windows.
  8. Put the garden hose away. You aren’t going to need it during the winter. Be sure that you drain all water out before storing it.
  9. Consider buying a generator. If you lose power, you and your family would still be able to use vital home appliances.

Prepare your home for the harsh cold weather your region may see this winter season with these tips.


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Sleet, snow and freezing rain are all common during the winter in many areas of the country. While snow can be easily seen when it falls and starts to pile up, freezing rain can lead to icy conditions quickly and it may be invisible on pavement. A wet patch on the road or sidewalk may not just be a puddle of rainwater – it could be frozen – especially if the temperatures are at or below freezing.
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