Winterizing Your Home

[monkeywrangler71]

What do you do to get your house ready for winter?

This is our first time having a house with a wood stove, so I have to remember to get the chimney cleaned and checked out before winter.

[Palooka]

Really not a whole lot. We have a fire place we never use and it's in the basement, so no convenient.

Sometimes we do put plastic or some type of cover in the old windows in the basement. You can really feel the cold air coming in if they are not covered. Those windows really need to be replaced.

I would love to have a wood burning stove!

[hotprincesscm]

I live in an apartment...So can't really do much! Although since last year, they have replaced the windows and put new siding on the building..so curious to see if that helps with the heating! I do have thermal drapes that I hang year round, to keep the cold out in the winter and the heat out in the summer. I may invest in some plastic for the windows..but not sure yet...I should just to give added protection, and save money.

[pollypurebred39]

I hang blankets or window quilts under the drapes. Old windows, very drafty.

I pull out the oil filled radiators so we use less oil in the cooler months.

[Darlene]

Earlier this year we got all our wood ready to use for this heating season, still have to get the fireplace cleaned out.

~ It was chilly yesterday so we ran the furnace one cycle to make sure it's ready to go. Last year we didn't and were surprised when the blower didn't come on & had to call and have it serviced. This year we were smarter & tested it before we needed it. We recently ran our generator too, making sure that was ready for any surprises nature throws our way. Speaking of that, we have a supply of gas for it and in case power does go out I need to stock up on a few more cans of this & that and some more batteries.

~I like clear views out my windows and as much sun as I can get so pretty soon some of the screens will come out.

~I picked up a couple extra old drying racks so I can dry more clothing on our balcony (it's open to the living room where our fireplace with insert is) and clothes dry quickly there. I hate running the dryer: ca-ching
~Almost time to go thru and switch out summer clothes items to winter making sure things are ready to go.
~getting ready to say goodnight to the dehumidifier as it hibernates til Spring/Summer
~need to redo the weather stripping at the front door,it's looking ratty.
All in all just making sure we have what we need in case we need it and just buttoning things up. I love this time of year, feeling like I'm getting ready to snuggle in.

[2ndGenGranola]

We have new windows so I'm hoping to not to have to do anything to them. We also have blackout curtains which help all year round.

[rosey7415]

i love this time of year for many reasons, but snuggling in for the winter is also one of them. i am with you on that darlene!

we are having a party this saturday for my mother. she is sort of having a housewarming. no gifts, she doesn't need a darn thing...lol she just wants everyone to come and see her new room. (for those that don't know what i am talking about, we put an addition on our house for my mother to live here.)

so we have just started getting things going for the fall. my dh cleaned out his shed and did some purging. had to get those chairs in the back....lol and he also cleaned the only messy place in the yard which is in back of the shed. my son in law dropped off some free wood and we split and stacked it. this all had to be done for the party....as hopefully it will be all in the back yard. we hired someone to grade and seed our front lawn this weekend, so that doesn't look like a disaster. i am relieved that that is finally done. we won't have those god awful piles of mulch and loam in the front..with weeds growing out of it.....that drove me crazy.

oh there is so much more to do!! i am decorating outside with pumpkins, mums, etc. we are washing the rugs inside tonight that the contractors tracked mud through. and a few doggie accidents.....grrrr........ when the party is over we will start winterizing everything. we have to clean the windows next....i do that every fall. take down some screens. i need to change the heating filters. we already power washed the house. we have put mulch in all of our gardens except for one small area...need to get more mulch. fertilized the lawn in the back. put the winter bedspreads on the beds this am. will be back to check this thread daily......

[Russ]

Let's see, I need to...

• change oil in mowers
  sharpen blades
  roll up hoses and blow the water out with compressor
  sweep up leaves
  remove screens and wash
  clean up all garden debris
  rototill garden and add compost
  get tractor ready for snow
  make sure snow blower works
  put lawn furniture away
  change furnace filter
  

I'm sure there's more.

[Lady_V]

Condo dweller here too - somewhat limited to what we can do.

LUCKILY we are close to the boiler room and laundry room AND the heating system is sufficiently messed up to the point that my unit rarely falls under 80 (unless the power goes out)

Winterizing for the condo is a little different than most people. It's not what we do to the place, it's what we change inside it.

The lightweight sheets and comforters are washed and stored. The flannel sheets and thick comforters are washed and set out.

The spare blankets are taken off the top shelf and moved to the closet floor. The lanterns get new batteries, the candles are moved to the pantry.

We lose power a LOT in the winter here. The powerboxes boom, ice weighs down the lines and we are stuck here in the dark. Having things located lower and in one place helps because Diva and I are both short and we can't count on Old Man being here and not at work when we need something.

[happymomof4]

Need to

close up the pool
put lawn furniture away
bring my house plants in
wood is being delivered this weekend and in October for winter burning
Chimney being cleaned October 4th
buy salt of sidewalks and a new shovel(old ones are shot)
winterize camper and put in winter parking spot
fill my birdfeeds for the winter

[sunshine]

Window quilts on the windows. . . .

Storm windows up, screen windows down. . . .

Heat grabbers dusted off and ready. . . .

Air filters in the furnace changed. . . .

Switch out summer throws for winter quilts on the beds.

[frugal is fun]

I just got my furnace serviced last week.

I took a walk around the house this weekend, I do this maybe once a month. I look for things like loose roofing shingles, or gutters that seem loose or are leaking. Basically I'm looking for anything that doesn't look like its supposed to look.

[Mamaw]

What I SHOULD do or what I DO do? That is the question.....

Actually:
*clean out flower beds
*add mulch to beds to protect over winter if needed
*clean up veggie garden
*cover porch furniture
*verify we have salt, snow shovels and snow blower works
*check tires on car and get new ones if needed
*put plastic on windows to help keep house warmer
*pull out winter clothing and store summer ones
*check winter coats, boots, hats, scarves and gloves..no missing buttons or anything else needing mending/replacement
*check stockpile for any vital items that may be needed...TP anyone?
*get extra batteries in case of power outage
*put flannel sheets and winter bedding on the beds
*plug in heated mattress pads
*be sure I have enough tea and cocoa for long cold nights
snuggle on in, keep warm and enjoy the hibernation period! LOL

[MyMelody]

I never have winterized anything in the house before. I honestly am not sure where to start.

- cleaned furnace filter already
- need to install weather stripping on exterior doors
- silicone caulk on windows (those I can get to, anyway)

I might get thermal curtains for the den this year.

[Palooka]

Forgot about the furnace filter. I'm sure it's in a need of change now.