Winter is almost here, which means harsher than normal weather and cooling temperatures that may threaten to damage your home and drive up out-of-pocket expenses.

To prevent that from happening, here are a few winter prep tips to winterize your home.

1. Disconnect any garden hoses. According to the Family Handyman, water trapped inside a spigot can freeze and burst—even with a frost-proof spigot and the water supply turned off. Leaving your hose attached to the spigot unnecessarily exposes your home to the risk of interior water damage. Disconnecting hoses before winter weather arrives is a free and easy preventive measure.

2. Winterize your gas grill. Deep clean the grill to remove grease and food scraps which will help prevent any unpleasant surprises next spring. If you store your grill outside, keep the propane tank connected (but shut off) and cover the entire grill once clean.

3. Have your wood-burning fireplace and chimney inspected. This single step can prevent chimney fires, which account for over 20,000 residential fires every year. A clogged chimney or flue also increases your chances of carbon monoxide poisoning.

4. Reverse your ceiling fan blades. In the winter, switching the fan blades to rotate clockwise will push the warm air in the room down from the ceiling to keep your home warmer and heating costs lower.

5. Consider a generator. Before winter weather arrives, talk to friends and family and research if a portable generator makes sense for you. Generators can keep your home warm and your smartphones charged until the utility company can get downed power lines up and running again.

6. Take precautions with your home’s exterior. As always, clean your gutters, remove frozen precipitation as soon as possible, and have salt on hand to head off slips and falls.

We hope you all have a safe and warm winter season. Please reach out to us for any questions you may have.