Winter Home Prep: 12 Fixes to Do Before the First Hard Freeze Costs You Thousands

Winter home prep is not the fun part of the season, but it is the part that saves you from a middle of the night puddle on the basement floor. One burst pipe can cost thousands to repair, and almost every cause can be fixed in an afternoon. A frozen pipe checklist from The Daily DIY was shared about 13,000 times on Facebook, so many of us are clearly thinking about it. This list is about problems, not decor. Each fix is simple, cheap and something most people can do in a weekend. Bigger jobs, like furnace repairs or tall ladders, are for the pros. Below are 12 jobs to do before the first hard freeze. Let’s get your home ready..

Winter Home Prep Starts Outside

Walk around the outside of your home on a dry afternoon and look at it like a stranger would. Is the hose still hooked up? Are the gutters full of leaves? Are the patio cushions still out? Most winter damage starts with small things like these, and good winter home prep catches them early. A slow lap with a notebook will show you exactly which jobs to tackle first, and most of them take less than an hour. Grab a pen and let’s start the list..

You will need: A notebook, a pen, work gloves and a sunny afternoon.

How to make it: 1. Walk the outside of the house slowly. 2. Note hoses, faucets, gutters and loose items. 3. Check the roof line and any branches hanging over it. 4. Number the jobs by how urgent they are.

Disconnect and Drain Garden Hoses

A hose left on the faucet traps water in the pipe, and when it freezes, it can crack the pipe inside the wall. Nobody finds out until spring, when the water is turned back on and the leak starts. Unscrew every hose, stretch it out on a slope so the water drains and coil it up. Store it in a shed or garage so it lasts longer too. It is the first job on any winter home prep list. How many hoses are still hooked up at your place?

You will need: Your garden hoses, a hose hanger or bin and a sloped driveway or yard.

How to make it: 1. Turn off the faucet and unscrew the hose. 2. Stretch it out downhill. 3. Let the water run out. 4. Coil it and store it indoors.

Foam Covers on Outdoor Faucets

Foam faucet covers cost a few dollars and might be the best deal in winter home prep. They slip over the spigot and a loop hooks behind it to hold them tight against the wall. That little dome of foam keeps the cold wind off the metal. Put them on after you remove the hoses. They are easy to spot, so you will remember to take them off in spring. Have you seen these at the hardware store?

You will need: One foam faucet cover for each outdoor spigot.

How to make it: 1. Remove the hose. 2. Hook the loop behind the faucet. 3. Pull the cover snug against the wall. 4. Tighten the slider until it is firm.

Shut Off Outdoor Lines and Find the Main Valve

Many homes have a small valve inside, often in the basement or a utility room, that controls the outside faucets. Turning it off and then opening the outdoor faucet lets the leftover water drain away, so there is nothing left to freeze. While you are down there, find the main water shut off too and hang a bright tag on it. If a pipe ever bursts, knowing where it is can turn a flood into a small mess. Does everyone in your family know where yours is?

You will need: A flashlight, a bucket and a bright tag or ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Find the inside valve for the outdoor line and turn it off. 2. Open the outdoor faucet to drain it. 3. Find the main shut off near where water enters the home. 4. Tag it and show the family how it works.

Winter Home Prep for Exposed Pipes

Pipes in a garage, crawl space or basement corner feel the cold first. Foam pipe sleeves are cheap and slide right on, with a slit down the side. Tape the seams and you have a warm jacket for your pipes. The American Red Cross suggests insulating pipes, and on very cold nights, opening the cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls so warm air can reach them. It is a quick Saturday job and a smart piece of winter home prep. Which pipes in your home feel cold to the touch?

You will need: Foam pipe sleeves sized to your pipes, duct tape and scissors.

How to make it: 1. Measure the length of the exposed pipes. 2. Open the slit and press the sleeve on. 3. Tape the seams. 4. On freezing nights, open sink cabinet doors on outside walls.

Winter Home Prep for Gutters and Downspouts

Gutters full of wet leaves get heavy, and when they freeze, water backs up under the roof edge. That can lead to ice dams and leaks inside. A gutter like this one needs a clean out before the first freeze. Use a sturdy ladder with a helper holding it, or hire someone if your roof is high. A small scoop and a bucket make this winter home prep job quick. When did you last clean yours?

You will need: A sturdy ladder, a helper, gloves, a gutter scoop, a bucket and a garden hose.

How to make it: 1. Set the ladder on firm, level ground with a helper. 2. Scoop out leaves into the bucket. 3. Rinse the gutter with the hose. 4. Check that water flows out of each downspout.

Add Downspout Extensions

Melting snow has to go somewhere. If it dumps right at the foundation, it can seep into the basement or freeze into a slippery patch on the walk. A simple downspout extension carries water a few feet away from the house. They snap on in minutes and can be flipped up when you mow. Check for rust and loose brackets while you are there. Where does your water go now?

You will need: Plastic downspout extensions or splash blocks.

How to make it: 1. Check where each downspout empties. 2. Attach an extension to the end. 3. Point it away from the house and walkways. 4. Add a splash block under the end.

Winter Home Prep: Reverse Ceiling Fans

Warm air rises and gets stuck near the ceiling. Most ceiling fans have a little switch on the motor that changes the direction. In winter, set it to spin clockwise on low, and it gently pushes warm air back down into the room. You feel warmer without touching the thermostat. It takes about one minute per fan, and it is one of the easiest bits of winter home prep there is. Have you ever flipped that little switch?

You will need: A step stool and a dust cloth.

How to make it: 1. Turn the fan off and let it stop. 2. Find the switch on the motor housing. 3. Flip it so the blades turn clockwise. 4. Run it on low.

Test Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Homes are closed up tight in winter, so working detectors matter more than ever. Press the test button on every smoke and carbon monoxide alarm and listen for the beep. Swap in fresh batteries if needed. Many people do this when the clocks change so they never forget. It takes ten minutes for the whole house and belongs on every winter home prep checklist. Have you tested yours this season?

You will need: A step stool and fresh batteries.

How to make it: 1. Press and hold the test button on each alarm. 2. Listen for a loud beep. 3. Replace batteries in any that are weak. 4. Check the date on the back and replace old units.

Bring In Patio Cushions and Cover Furniture

This is what happens when the patio set stays out. Wet cushions left outside can grow mildew and fall apart by spring. Bring them inside to a garage or shed, in a bin or a big bag. Cover the furniture with fitted covers or stack it against the house. It keeps everything looking nice and stops it from blowing around in winter storms. Our drafty windows gallery has more cheap fixes once you are back inside. Is your patio still set up?

You will need: A storage bin or large bags and furniture covers.

How to make it: 1. Brush off dirt and let cushions dry. 2. Pack them in a bin. 3. Cover tables and chairs. 4. Store small items in the garage.

Store Terracotta Pots in the Garage

Clay pots soak up water, and when that water freezes, the pots crack. Empty them, brush off the soil and stack them in the garage or shed. Turn them upside down if they must stay outside. It saves you from buying new pots every spring. This little bit of winter home prep keeps your favorite planters in one piece. How many pots are sitting outside right now?

You will need: A stiff brush, a bucket for old soil and a shelf in the garage.

How to make it: 1. Empty old soil into a bucket. 2. Brush the pots clean. 3. Let them dry. 4. Stack them indoors with paper between.

Stock Ice Melt and a Snow Shovel Early

The first storm always seems to empty the store shelves. Buy ice melt and a sturdy shovel now and keep them right by the door. Choose a pet safe ice melt if you have dogs. Use it exactly as the label says and never mix products. While you are outside, look up for branches hanging over the roof, since big limbs are a job for a tree pro. Being ready means no slippery steps on the first icy morning, and it wraps up your winter home prep nicely. Where will you keep your winter kit?

You will need: A snow shovel, a bucket of pet safe ice melt, a scoop and burlap for young shrubs.

How to make it: 1. Buy the shovel and ice melt early. 2. Store them by the most used door. 3. Wrap young shrubs in burlap. 4. Call a pro for big branches over the roof.