The hose is off and stored, and the inside valve is closed.
Our parents and grandparents had a fall routine they never skipped. The storm windows went up, the hose came in, and somebody checked the furnace before the first hard freeze. The tools have changed, but the idea is the same: a little work in November saves a lot of trouble in January.
Here is a simple checklist you can finish in one weekend. Saturday is for the outside of the house. Sunday is for the inside.
Saturday: outside
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Shut off and drain outdoor faucets. The American Red Cross says to disconnect garden hoses, drain them, and store them. Then close the inside valve** that supplies each outdoor faucet, and open the outside faucet so the water left in the line can drain out. Leave it open for the winter. A hose left attached can trap water in the faucet and the pipe behind it.
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Drain sprinkler lines** if you have them, following the system's instructions or your installer's advice.
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Clean the gutters and downspouts.** The National Weather Service says clogged gutters can help ice dams form, where melting snow refreezes at the edge of the roof and backs water up under the shingles. Make sure the downspouts carry water away from the foundation.
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Look at the roof and the attic. NWS also points to attic insulation as the long-term fix for ice dams. Its guidance recommends at least R-30, and R-38 in northern states.** If your insulation looks thin, that is a project to price out before the next winter.
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Get the chimney checked. If you burn wood, the Chimney Safety Institute of America says chimneys should be inspected once a year.** (See our wood stove safety guide.)
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Stack firewood away from the house. Cornell Cooperative Extension suggests keeping the main pile about 30 feet** from your home, off the ground and covered on top.
Sunday: inside
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Protect pipes that could freeze. Wrap pipes in unheated areas like the garage, crawl space, or attic with pipe insulation. The Red Cross also says that on very cold nights you can let cold water drip from faucets served by exposed pipes, and open the kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors** so warm air reaches the plumbing.
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Find your main water shutoff.** Ready.gov lists knowing how to shut off your home's water as a basic safety skill. If a pipe bursts, you will want to find it in seconds, not minutes. Tag it so everyone in the house can find it too.
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Set a winter thermostat rule. If you travel, the Red Cross says to keep the heat set no lower than 55°F** while you are away.
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Check the furnace filter. ENERGY STAR says to check your filter every month, especially in winter, and change it at least every three months. A dirty filter makes the furnace work harder. ENERGY STAR also recommends a pre-season checkup** of your heating system by a contractor.
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Reverse the ceiling fans. The Department of Energy says to run ceiling fans clockwise on low** in winter to push warm air down from the ceiling.
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Test smoke and CO alarms. The NFPA says to test smoke alarms every month and replace them every 10 years.** Carbon monoxide alarms should be tested monthly as well and replaced on the schedule the manufacturer gives, usually somewhere between 5 and 10 years. Put a fresh battery in anything that needs one.
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Seal obvious drafts.** Run your hand along the bottom of exterior doors and around windows on a windy day. A draft stopper at the door or weatherstripping can make a cold room noticeably more comfortable.
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Build or refresh your winter kit. Ready.gov recommends at least one gallon of water per person per day** for several days, plus nonperishable food, flashlights, extra batteries, a first aid kit, and any medicines you need. Add blankets and warm layers for a winter power outage.
⚡ The Quick Version
If you only have an hour, do these four: shut off and drain the outdoor faucets, check the furnace filter, test your smoke and CO alarms, and find the main water shutoff. Those cover the most common winter headaches.
🕰️ Grandpa's Way vs. Today
Grandpa climbed the ladder to hang storm windows and kept a coffee can of sand by the back door. Today we have pipe insulation, programmable thermostats, and alarms that warn us about carbon monoxide. The job is still the same one weekend in November, and it still pays off every time the temperature drops below freezing.
