Winterize Your Home (October Checklist)

Exterior, HVAC, plumbing, windows, and emergency prep — everything to complete before the first hard freeze.

Exterior

• Clean gutters after leaves have fallen — clogged gutters cause ice dams that force water under shingles and into the attic
• Inspect the roof for missing or curled shingles — schedule a roofer before the ground freezes and schedules fill up
• Caulk gaps around exterior door and window frames — use an exterior-grade silicone caulk rated for low-temperature application
• Disconnect and drain all garden hoses — leaving hoses connected traps water in the spigot and pipe behind the wall, which can freeze and burst
• Shut off and drain exterior irrigation systems — blow out lines with compressed air or hire a sprinkler company if you have more than a few zones

HVAC

• Replace your furnace filter before heating season — a clogged filter makes the furnace work harder and shortens its life
• Schedule annual furnace maintenance with an HVAC technician before the heating season — they check heat exchangers for cracks, which can leak carbon monoxide
• Test your thermostat by raising the set temperature — confirm the furnace kicks on within a minute and that it produces warm air at the register
• Install or replace carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home — heating systems are the primary CO source in winter

Plumbing

• Locate your main water shutoff valve and confirm it operates freely — you need to be able to turn it off quickly in a burst pipe emergency
• Insulate exposed pipes in unheated areas (garage, crawl space, attic) with foam pipe insulation sleeves — $1–$2 per linear foot at any hardware store
• Install frost-free hose bibs if you still have standard spigots — they prevent the most common exterior pipe freeze

Windows & Doors

• Apply rope caulk to drafty windows as a temporary seal — it's removable in spring and dramatically reduces drafts
• Install door sweeps on any exterior door where you can see daylight at the bottom
• Add thermal curtains to north-facing and west-facing windows — they reduce heat loss by up to 25% through glass

Emergency Prep

• Stock at least 72 hours of food and water per person in case of winter storm power outages
• Test smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors — replace batteries in all of them now
• Know your utility company's outage reporting number and have a backup heat source (kerosene heater, wood stove, or generator) with adequate fuel