Home Winterization Checklist: 15 Ways to Combat the Cold

How to winterize your home inside and out in 15 smart steps

Watch out, Mason City – Jack Frost has returned for a frigid freeze this year, and that means heavy snowfall and icy temperatures that make you want to bundle up indoors with a mug of hot cocoa. Odds are we won’t see thermometers go above freezing for at least another month, even in the afternoon.

The best remedy is a warm home to retreat to while you wait out the winter. But Mason City winters can be especially cold and harsh, particularly if you don’t prep your property for plentiful snow.

Let’s go over how you can keep out the cold and winterize your home in 15 steps.

Outdoor winterizing strategies

When you feel the first chill of winter shivering across your skin, it’s time to winterize the outside of your home – especially if you live in northern Iowa! From January to March, the daily mean temperature for Mason City will hover between 15.7 and 32.9°F. Frosty himself will be quite comfortable in your front yard all winter long.

With that in mind, here are some essential steps you should take to prepare your home's exterior for the season.

Stock up on supplies

Run to the store and grab crucial snow shoveling supplies ASAP, because Mason City usually gets around 10 inches of snow per month from January to March. In order to prepare for the days when you open your door to a white wall of snow in the morning, you’ll need:

• A thick shovel (or two!)
• Snow boots
• An ice scraper, especially for clearing your car’s windshield
• Salt, in case you want to salt down your driveway or front doorstep to prevent slipping

If you opt to use salt, just be sure not to spread too much of it around. Your beautiful lawn could be ruined come springtime if the melting snow spreads excess salt into the soil.

Roof checks

Since you can bet Old Man Winter will bring even more snow this season, put on some shoes with non-slip soles and head up to your roof. Check for missing or damaged shingles, which can lead to snow or meltwater leaking into your living room at the worst possible moment.

Get the gutters cleaned

Keep your ladder set up and do a quick inspection of your home’s gutters. Odds are they need to be swept out: any leaves from fall should be removed quickly. If left uncleaned, you could end up with ice dams that weigh down the gutters or cause cracks. In the worst-case scenarios, this could lead to a damaged roof or other issues.

If possible, consider installing gutter guards, which can keep your gutters safe for winter (after they’re cleaned of leaves and other debris).

Secure outdoor equipment

Got porch chairs, your garden hose, or other outdoor furniture and equipment exposed to the elements? Bring it all inside your garage or shed. The last thing your furniture and equipment needs is to be frozen solid or buried under a pile of snow.

Bring in outdoor plants

Don’t forget to do the same thing for your outdoor plants, like potted plants on your front porch or other decorative flowers and greenery scattered around your yard or garden. Unfortunately, Mason City gets way too cold in winter to leave your plants outdoors until April.

Prep your lawn for frost

If you’ve spent months getting your lawn to look great, don’t let winter ruin all that hard work. You can prep your lawn for the cold winter months by:

• Cutting your grass short before the first freeze
• Overseeding your lawn between six and eight weeks before temperatures drop (ideally in November at the latest)
• Aerating your lawn around the same time
• If you have a compost pile, spread the compost through the aerated holes to insulate your lawn grasses

Done right, prepping your lawn will set it up to be green and glorious when the sunshine returns in spring.

Interior ideas

Armoring your home against the wintery weather outside is only half the battle. Consider these smart steps to prep your house’s interior, too.

Add insulation in the ducts

Was last winter way too cold for comfort? It’s time to add a bit of insulation to your home's ductwork. In fact, about 20% to 30% of all the air that moves through most homes’ air ducts is lost because of leaks.

Installing a bit of extra insulation could keep you warm and keep your energy bill down this winter. You can do this yourself or hire a pro to speed things up.

Winterize doors and windows

Depending on the age and quality of your home, its doors and windows might not be as winter-tight as you may prefer. You can help weatherproof the doors and windows yourself by:

• Using weather stripping around the seams of your doors and windows, which will help keep cold air out and lower your power bills
• Installing door sweeps, which can seal gaps between your door’s bottom and the doorframe threshold

Alternatively, consider replacing old windows with energy-efficient designs and adding storm doors from Window World. Storm doors provide protection and energy efficiency all year round. Plus, Window World can install a storm door that fits seamlessly with your home's existing aesthetic. Choose from ventilating, high-security, retractable screen, or full view storm doors today.

Caulk the cold out!

Got any other leaks or drafty spots in the house? Take a caulking gun or bottle and a putty knife and seal up the cracks to further insulate your home and keep the warm air inside where it belongs.

Check the fire/carbon monoxide alarm

You'll be running your heater and/or furnace more often, so keep your home and family safe by double-checking your fire and carbon monoxide alarms. These need to be in perfect working order just in case there's an accident or a vent gets clogged. Residential fires are much more common in winter, so check your fire alarm each month and don’t delay replacing the batteries if necessary.

Set the right temperature

It can be tempting to fiddle with your thermostat throughout the winter, but you’ll pay a price in higher energy bills. Instead, it’s smarter to set your thermostat to 68°F, which is the recommended indoor temperature for energy efficiency and comfort according to energy.gov.

For even more consistent heating, consider installing a programmable smart thermostat with remote controls, temperature locks, and timers to automatically cool your home down while you’re away or sleeping, then warm back up come morning.

Clean the furnace filter

Lots of Mason City homes have traditional furnaces. If you do as well, check and clean the furnace filter if necessary. Generally, it’s a good idea to service your furnace (either yourself or by hiring an inspector) once per year.

Try thermal-lined curtains

Thermal-lined curtains are thick wool, cotton, or polyester curtains featuring a special acrylic foam or aluminum layer on the window-facing side. When a frigid storm hits, thermal-lined curtains can prevent heat from escaping through the glass panes of your home’s windows.

Trickle the faucets

When you check the weather and see an incoming freeze or storm, be sure to set your faucets to a slight trickle before you go to sleep. It’s a simple trick, but quite effective at preventing frozen pipes (or burst pipes, which can be even worse).

Open the vents and let the air flow

If you want to save money on your energy bill this winter, you might think it’s a good idea to close the air vents in rooms you’re not using. But counterintuitively, it’s actually a better idea to open all the vents in your home.

Why? Air vents release the pressure inside your house's ductwork. As the heating system runs throughout the winter, the pressure will need a place to escape. Keep the vents open and let air flow throughout your home to keep your ducts and heater running properly.

The days ahead look short and cold – current weather forecasts say temperatures below zero are likely when the sun goes down. But you can keep out the cold and enjoy the snow snuggled up indoors with a warmly winterized home, especially if you contact the pros for help. Set up an appointment with Window World Mason City's experts to see about a free consultation for storm doors and more.