Cold weather is making its way across the country this upcoming week, and we want to make sure your home is ready for whatever the cold brings! Here are 10 tips for preparing your home for the winter.

1. Cover Outdoor Spigots

Spigots are directly exposed to freezing temps. They are often times the first thing to ice up on a house. Protecting them from icing up and potentially causing a burst pipe is easy and cheap. Check with you local hardware store for Insulated Outdoor Faucet/Spigot Covers. They typically cost around $4-$10 and can save you thousands of dollars in damage and repairs.

2. Protect your Water lines

You can wrap your exposed pipes with insulation pipe wraps from your local hardware store, and you can even use old towels around your house and wrap with duct tape.

3. Add Insulation

This is more for indoor plumbing pipes that run through your exterior walls.

4. Seal Cracks and holes

Check the outside of your home for small cracks or openings. Even small holes where cables enter your home can allow cold air inside. You can purchase a can of spray foam insulation to close these up quickly. Also, weather stripping and caulking around all your doors and windows. This should be done yearly around your home.

5. Keep water flowing

If any of your plumbing is near an exterior wall you should drip your lines whenever temperatures dip well below freezing. You may also consider leaving your cabinet doors open and the pipes inside will be warmed by your room air.

6. Ensure easy access to water shut off – locate meters

If your waterlines do burst you will need to shut off the homes water supply immediately. If you have anything in the way of getting to this valve, we recommend clearing this for easy and quick access. This is normally a job for a professional plumber, but can save your home and property from further damage.

7. Close garage doors

If your garage is attached to your home keeping the door closed will help keep cold air out and can protect plumbing fixtures in your garage.

8. Clean gutters

Having full gutters can increase your chance of having ice form on your roof. This is not something that you want. We recommend setting aside time to clean your gutters out before freezing temperatures arrive. Gutter screens and or helmets can prevent leaves from clogging them.

9. Maintain your thermostat

Making sure you can keep your thermostat running continuously by keeping spare batteries on hand, even the new Nest system can help you monitor the temperatures on your cell phone.

10. Prepare your generator

If you need to, purchase a generator and make sure you have the fuel it needs to run in case you lose electricity.

And don’t forget to protect the 4 Ps: Pets, pipes, plants & people!