Protect your home before temperatures drop! As the seasons shift and freezing temperatures approach, taking a few simple steps now can prevent costly damage later. Use this checklist to prepare your property inside and out.
Outdoors
- Outdoor Faucets: Disconnect all garden hoses and drain any remaining water from outdoor faucets. Water left inside can freeze and cause damage. Drain your sprinkler and irrigation systems to prevent burst lines.
- Protect pipes: Insulate exposed water lines, especially those in unheated areas like a garage.
- Cover vents: Close or cover vents around your home’s foundation to block cold drafts from reaching plumbing lines..
- Secure outdoor items: Bring in or tightly secure patio furniture, garden décor, and hanging plants that could be damaged by frost or wind.
- Water well: Water your plants the day before a freeze to provide insulation for the roots.
- Cover sensitive plants: Use frost cloths, sheets, or jackets to cover delicate annuals, perennials, and shrubs. You can stake the covers to prevent them from touching the leaves.
- Bring plants indoors: Move potted or hanging plants into a garage or other unheated indoor space.
- Mulch in-ground plants: Add a layer of mulch to in-ground plants to help protect their roots.
Indoors - Indoor Faucets: During a long deep freeze, let a small trickle of water run from faucets connected to pipes in unheated or drafty areas — like those along exterior walls or in basements. Even a slow drip helps prevent freezing
- Thermostat Settings: Keep your thermostat set no lower than 55°F when you are out of town - turn the heat down, not off. Turning the heat off to save money when they leave for several days can lead to frozen pipes and significantly higher expenses down the road.
- Know Your Shut-Off Valve: Find and label your home’s main water shut-off valve. This is typically located where the water line enters your home through the foundation. You’ll need this in case of an emergency, plumbing repairs, or if your home will be vacant for an extended time.
- Insulate Indoor Pipes: Pipes in unheated spaces, such as garages, basements, and under-sink cabinets, are especially vulnerable. Wrap them with foam pipe insulation, available at most hardware stores.
