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Cover of the Winterizing Your Home guide

Guide · Home care

Winterizing Your Home

A friendly, practical guide to getting a home ready for cold weather, from hoses and drafts to safe heat, ice and snow.

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Where to start

The short version

Winterizing a home means a few simple steps before the first freeze so everyone stays warm and safe until spring.

Disconnect hoses, drain outdoor water, seal drafts, service the heat, and test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

Heat safely: keep space heaters three feet from anything that can burn, and never use an oven, stove, grill or indoor generator for heat.

Clear snow early and often, treat icy steps, keep outdoor vents clear, and keep a simple kit ready for storms and outages.

Rules about heat and snow removal differ from place to place, so we’d gently encourage a quick look at your local rules. We would love to help.

Four simple rules

  1. 1
    Start before the first freeze

    Fall is the time to drain outdoor water, service the heat and seal drafts, while the weather is still kind.

  2. 2
    Heat the home safely

    Keep space heaters at least three feet from anything that can burn, and never use an oven, stove or grill for heat.

  3. 3
    Keep walkways safe

    Clear snow early and often, and treat icy steps and paths so everyone can come and go safely.

  4. 4
    Be ready for an outage

    Keep a simple kit with flashlights, batteries, water, food, medicines and warm blankets for a storm or power outage.

Try it

Winterizing checklist

From the guide’s own checklist. Tick each one as you go. Your ticks stay on this device. These are examples; your home may need others.

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Your kit

A simple winter kit

From the guide. Keep each person’s needs in mind, including medicines. These are examples; your home may need others.

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If the heat or power goes out right now

  1. Take a breath. If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds or you smell gas, leave the home right away and call 911 or the gas utility from outside.
  2. If the heat stops, check the thermostat settings and batteries, then share the problem right away, and mention anyone in the home who is very young, older or unwell.
  3. If the power is out, use flashlights rather than candles. A closed refrigerator keeps food cold for about four hours.
  4. Keep warm with layers and blankets, and close off rooms you aren’t using.
  5. If the home gets too cold to stay in safely, go to a friend or family member’s home or a local warming center.
  6. Call the owner right away, and follow up in writing.

You did exactly the right thing.

Test yourself

How much do you remember?

4 quick questions from this guide, with a one line why for each. Totally optional, no sign in, and your answers are never saved.

From The Perfect Series

Go deeper with The Perfect Seasonal Home Care Checklist Workbook

Simple, step by step checklists you can write in, one topic at a time, to help any home stay warm, safe and dry through every season.

See The Perfect Seasonal Home Care Checklist WorkbookAll books in The Perfect Series

Keep the full guide handy

The PDF has everything: everyday habits, what to do when something goes wrong, common myths, helpful resources and plenty of real-world tips. Print it, save it or share it with anyone who could use it.

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This guide shares general information to help you, and is not legal, medical or safety-code advice. Bunklow does not inspect properties.

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