Complete Home Winterization Checklist

Here comes the most unpredictable time of year – Wisconsin’s winter! Our winters bring harsh weather: subzero temperatures, snow, ice, sleet, and hail. Before you grab your flannel pajamas and hibernate in the warmth of your home for the season, there’s some work to do. It’s easy to overlook some winter tasks, so we’ve put together this complete home winterization checklist. Get your home winter ready! 

Exterior Winterizing

1. Remove debris, leaves, and branches from gutters. 
2. Remove yard vegetation and cut loose tree branches. 
3. Caulk around window and door frames. 
4. Install a storm door and windows.
5. Bring in patio furniture and grills. If you don’t have room for indoor storage, wrap in a tarp and secure it to the ground. 
6. Repaint or seal your deck.
7. Disconnect sprinklers and hoses. Turn water spouts off. 
8. Spray foam insulation on exterior faucets and outlets.
9. Clear the area around downspouts. 
10. Install stakes around your driveway and permanent lawn fixtures. 
11. Clean the chimney, check the damper, and clear any debris out.
12. Seal unused fireplaces.
13. Inspect your roof for loose or missing shingles and replace them.
14. Clean and cover the outdoor air conditioning system.

Interior Winterizing

1. Perform an annual maintenance check on your furnace and water heater. 
2. Replace the furnace filter.
3. Open any closed heating vents.
4. Insulate your pipes.
5. Check for leaks and cracks in the attic, basement, garage, and around windows and doors. 
6. Install draft guards such as door stops and window insulation film.
7. Set a timer on your digital thermostat.
8. Change the direction on your ceiling fans to redirect warm air.
9. Clean your dryer vent. 

Weatherization Assistance

Wisconsin’s Division of Energy Services oversees the Wisconsin Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). WAP provides energy conservation services in eligible households to help reduce home energy costs and save energy. Work performed often includes insulation, sealing air leaks, installation of energy-saving products, and repair or replacement of inefficient furnaces or other appliances. Contact WAP for more information.*

Home Energy Audit

An energy audit is an assessment of your home that takes a look at current energy consumption and then identifies energy efficiency measures that you can conduct to make your home more efficient. An energy auditor can assess where your home is losing the most energy, and then proposes improvements to make to help save energy – and reduce your utility bills.

Professional energy audits can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours to complete, depending on the size of your home. These professional auditors use a variety of tools to establish problem areas within your property and come up with a list of suggested measures and actions that you can take in order to make your home more efficient.**

Wisconsin Winterization

Preparing your home for winter is a lot of work. Turnkey Homes provides siding and roofing services, in addition to custom home building and remodeling. Don’t try to make it through our brutal winter without fixing or replacing your damaged siding or roof! Give us a call to help with your weatherization needs! 

*Wisconsin’s Division of Energy Services  **EnergySage