Winterize your home

1
Protect the patio.
Bring in or, at least, cover up tables, chairs, and grill. “Any kind of aluminum patio furniture has the potential to rust, even if it’s painted,” says Shane Segur, the store manager of Home Depot in Toledo, Ohio. While you’re out on the patio, drain water out of garden hoses and stow them in a warm place. Otherwise, the water can freeze, weaken the lining, and cause holes to form.

2
Seal gaps and cracks in your foundation and walls.
Make sure there are no drafty spots around your windows and doors. The last thing you want is to have gaps where cold air can seep into the house and heat, that you've paid a bundle to create, can escape.

3
Program the thermostat.
Invest in a modern, programmable thermostat. Then set it to automatically turn the heat down when you’re not home — and up before you return to your nest. The gizmo can cost as little as $19. Shell out $250 for a fancy one that lets you program the temperature from your smartphone, suggests Segur. Keep it around 65 degrees while you’re at work, but no lower. “If you want it to go from 50 to 70, your furnace is going to have to work twice as hard,” he warns.

4
Keep the slush outside.
A doormat with a rough texture helps remove mud and gunk from shoes before guests enter the house. Even more, a hard plastic boot tray and rubber mat will prevent water and salt from damaging wood floors, says Segur. No mudroom? No problem. “You can improvise by using stacked wire or laminate cubes by your entrance door,” says Cregier. Let your kids pick out one or two cubes apiece (from stores like Home Depot or Bed, Bath & Beyond) and ask them to stow their boots in one, and mittens and scarves in another, she suggests.

5
Stock up on heat tape.
You can run heat tape around the edge of a roof or around the bottom of your gutter to prevent ice from forming. It comes in 60- and 100-foot sections, which essentially look like an extension cord. Keep in mind that you need at least one outdoor electrical outlet for it to work, says Segur.

6
Move potted plants indoors.
Potted plants don’t like being outside in less than 50 degrees, says horticulturist Kathie Hayden, manager of the plant information service at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, Illinois. “Most of your houseplants are tropical, and they just won’t thrive in temperatures that low.” Relocate your flowers gradually. “Try to do it slowly so you don’t shock the plants,” says Hayden. “Bring them in at night to begin with. Then take them back out.” This “lessens the blow” and decreases leaf loss, she says.

7
Change your furnace filter.
Dirty filters make the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system work too hard, shortening its life and costing you money. “As your furnace filter fills with particles and dirt, your furnace becomes less efficient,” says Segur. While you’re at it, considering bringing in a pro to give your HVAC a tune-up.

Also check the furnace's pilot light. The flame should be blue, clear, and steady. If it is sluggish or goes out, call your utility company; this is a dangerous sign. (But don't turn the furnace off, because the technician will need to look at the flame to see how it is functioning.) The pro will clean and relight. If you have a problem with an electric furnace, call a certified professional ASAP.

8
Clean gutters.
The purpose of roof gutters is to move water away from the structure of the house. Without them, rain water and melting snow would drip down the exterior damaging the siding and pooling around the foundation. If your gutters are clogged with leaves, they won't be able to drain off the water as they're designed to do.

An easy way to keep leaves out of your gutters is to buy gutter covers (products like screens that get installed on top of your existing gutters) or replace your gutters with covered ones. We recommend LeafGuard gutters, which makes one-piece gutters designed so that rainwater can flow along the top and then into the gutters without leaves slipping in and clogging them.

While you're up there, also check out your roof for missing shingles, cracked tiles, and loose flashing (the sheet metal around the chimney and other openings that prevents leaks). If you're not handy, get a professional to make the appropriate repairs.

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