The first day of winter is December 21, which will be here before you know it! Here at Mantua, located in Van Alstyne, Texas, north of Dallas, we’re lucky to enjoy some really mild winters, but that doesn’t mean that we’re strangers to snowfall or the occasional freezing-cold night. The average temperature from December through March ranges from 69 to 33 degrees, and 33 is pretty darn chilly!
Fortunately, if you’re wondering how to winterize your home and yard, we’ve got some can’t-miss tips that will help keep your home in Mantua looking great, working great, and feeling cozy all winter long, no matter what the weather decides to do. Some are pretty general items that are always good to do at least once a year (or more often), while others are specific to insulating your home and yard against the onslaughts of winter weather. Whatever the case may be, they’ll help you and your home get through the winter in good shape, and you can use all of these tips as a simple checklist when it comes to winterizing. Let’s get started!
How to Winterize Your Home
- Make sure your furnace is ready for the job. Before you fire up the furnace for the first time this winter, it’s a good idea to get your whole HVAC system checked out and tuned up by a professional. This is something you should probably do at least a couple of times a year, anyway, and the changing of the seasons is the perfect reminder. Even if you’ve had a pro look at your furnace recently, you should at least change the filter before cold weather sets in.
- Protect your pipes. As we mentioned, it doesn’t usually get all that cold here in Van Alstyne, but we’re far from immune to freezing temperatures. And if the cold does set in hard, it can cause pipes to freeze and burst, which will make a heck of a mess. Make sure your pipes are properly insulated to survive the winter. While you’re at it, disconnect the outdoor garden hoses and blow out or drain your sprinkler system.
- Clean your gutters. Autumn is a beautiful time of year here in Texas, but it can do a number on your gutters and downspouts. All those lovely autumn leaves can clog things up, which leads to problems in the winter, especially in the event of a heavy snow. Clean out your gutters and downspouts before snow starts accumulating on your roof.
- Check the fireplace. Many of the homes here at Mantua come with lovely fireplaces built right in, and there are few things cozier than curling up around a roaring fire on a cold winter’s night. But if your chimney or flue is obstructed, a fire can be a hazard for you and your family. Check out your fireplace and chimney—or, better yet, have a professional chimney cleaning service take a look—before you light that first fire this winter.
- Seal any cracks or places that let in drafts. You may be surprised by how easy it is to weatherproof your home. If there are gaps or cracks around doors, windows, air conditioners, or anywhere else that lets cold air in and warm air out, you’ll want to seal them with some caulking or weather stripping.
- Invest in a programmable thermostat. Assuming you don’t already have one, of course. They don’t actually cost very much, and they can save you a bundle in the long run by optimizing your home’s temperature for both comfort and efficiency all year round.
- Switch the direction on your ceiling fans. Ceiling fans are designed to work differently in the warm summer months than they do during the winter. When cold weather hits, you’ll want your fans turning clockwise so that they pull cold air up and force warmer air down into the room.
- Clean your windows. This goes beyond making your home look nice or presenting you with an unobstructed view of the lovely Texas landscape—though it will do both of those things, too. Clean windows let in more sunlight, which can have a big impact on the warmth of your home during the day and help keep your utility bills low.
- Make sure the humidifier is turned on and working. Cooler weather brings with it dryer air, and furnaces tend to suck even more moisture from the air, so many people prefer to have a humidifier running once the weather begins to cool off.
- Put together some emergency supplies. Here in Van Alstyne, we’re unlikely to experience much in the way of severe winter weather, but that doesn’t mean that the power may not go out, for example, in a winter storm. In that case, you’ll want to have some necessities ready to go to help keep your family safe and warm while you wait for things to get fixed up. This may include things like flashlights with fresh batteries, a snow shovel, pet food and people food, water bottles, warm blankets and clothes, and maybe even a generator.
This handy checklist can help walk you through how to winterize your home and yard for a Texas winter. Of course, if you live in Mantua, some of this is already taken care of for you. To learn more about homes in our new master-planned community in Van Alstyne, Texas and discover a life you’ve always dreamed of, contact us today!
