6 Ways To Prepare Your Home For Winter

Alaska has already received it’s first snowfall of the 2020 winter season, which means before too long the fall colors and falling leaves will fade to a pure white winter wonderland. That means it’s time prepare your home for winter. Here are 6 ways to prepare you home for winter.

1. Water – disconnect hoses and store the away. Close/Turn off all outdoor water spigots. In the event that you do have pipes break be sure to know how to turn the main water off and where to turn it off at!
2. Drafts – check all doors and windows to make sure that everything is sealed and that there are no drafts/leaks. Not only will this help in keeping your home warm, but it’s a HUGE money saver.
3. Gutters – clear all those leaves and debris from the gutters. When breakup hits, you want all that snow run off to flow freely. This will help to avoid any water damage to the roof and/or your home.
4. Heat – make sure maintenance and/or inspection is done on all heating sources inside your home. Stock up on wood and oil as well or schedule out delivery of items before the big chill sets in!
5. Safety – this goes with heating and of course Christmas lights, do checks and maintenance on all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Keep extra batteries handy just in case! If need be, use the NON-emergency number and reach out to the local fire department for assistance or they can point you in the right direction.
6. Storage – time to clean all that lovely summer lawn and patio furniture. As well as any bikes, lawn mowers, yard equipment, toys etc — these things won’t last nor be in good condition after being covered deep underneath the snow all winter.

There are others things to prepare for winter as well as money saving ideas, but here are just the six. If you need help winterizing your home, reach out to Alaska Housing Finance Corporation – Winterization Program to see if you meet the guidelines for their free program. They also offer a plethora of information for free in regards to home efficiency.