How to Winterize your Chicago Home

The winter season in Chicago usually comes with gusty winds, freezing temperatures, and heaps of snow. Summarily, winter can be quite rough in Chicago. This makes it very vital to take necessary measures to prepare your home for the winter – winterize your home before the harsh season hits!

In addition, when you spend more time winterizing your home, you will have more time to concentrate on actually staying in and bundling up when the season arrives.

Before another icy winter sets in, it is necessary to implement some key home maintenance routines. This will ensure that you stay warm and safe all through the season. This article highlights some weather-proofing ideas you can implement to prepare your Chicago home for the next winter.

Check All Pipes – Winterize your Outdoor and Indoor Plumbing

In winter, the temperatures drop. This implies that you must take necessary actions to make sure your home’s plumbing does not capitulate to the deep freeze.

Before the legendary frosty Chicago winter arrives, make urgent moves to prepare the plumbing elements (both outdoor and indoor) in your home.

For the outdoor plumbing elements, make sure that you disconnect all splitters and hoses from faucets and bits. Also, turn off all the outdoor spigots and faucets and ensure that you completely drain the waterline. If you fail to drain the water completely, the water left in the line may expand due to freezing, resulting in the pipe bursting.

Your indoor plumbing elements may need some attention too. Check around your home and think about adding extra layers of insulation to the exposed pipes. If possible, insulate your water heater also. You can easily purchase water heater “blankets” and insulation sleeves at most of the local hardware stores around.

On extremely icy days, you can leave the cabinet doors open so that the pipes can be exposed to more heat. Also, you can keep water flowing by leaving a gentle drip in the faucets.

Insulate Doors and Windows

Insulating your doors and windows is one major step in ensuring that you stay warm and cozy during the winter months.

It is not unusual to see single-pane windows on more ancient Chicago homes. These windows can allow plenty of frigid air to filter through during the frosty winter months. If your home has single-pane windows, check for visible cracks and seal damages. Also, feel around for cold air breezes. If you find any issues, consider insulating your windows. You can insulate your windows in different ways. These include: hanging thermal curtains to keep warm air in, closing up cracks with weatherstripping, and using window-insulating films.

For homes with double-paned glasses, check for any sign of condensation between the panes of the glass. Condensation implies that the seal is broken which allows the warm air inside the house to escape. This lessens the window’s overall efficiency. Ensure that it is replaced, or if possible, repaired before winter sets in.

Likewise, if the doors to your home no longer close tightly, you should consider adding new weatherstripping. If there are cracks and gaps around the door frame, use exterior caulk to seal the gaps.

Care for your Yard, Plants, Décor, and Outdoor Furniture

Before the winter sets in, take a stroll around your home and winterize all that you can, while bringing in the ones you can’t. Clean up your yard littered with summer plants, sticks, and leaves.

Remember to take down all the window Air Conditioning units and keep them for the season. During winter, these units, if not removed can let in ice-cold drafts into your home. This can leave you uncomfortable and increase your utility bills. Also, the icy winter weather and the freezing temperatures can damage your window A/C unit. This could force you into having to reinvest in a new unit when the summer season returns. Save yourself of this worry by bringing in you’re A/C unit during the winter season.

Likewise, critically examine your outdoor elements like the gutters, downspouts, and roof, to see if there are damages or wear and tear. Safely store outdoor appliances, furniture, décor items, and potted plants in a storage shed or the garage. If there are items that are too bulky or large to move, you can cover them with blankets or winter-proof tarps. This will help avert potential damage from the ice and snow.

Additionally, have a bag of salt and a shovel on hand for the first snowfall of winter.

Check and Service Your Home’s HVAC System

The importance of your home’s Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system during the Chicago winter months cannot be overstated.

Whether your home runs on forced air or radiator heat, you must create time to check, service, and care for your home’s HVAC system. You need to do this before they commence their winter “workout.” After all, you don’t want an HVAC system that won’t keep you warm in the middle of the harshest winter months.

Have plans to inspect your boiler or furnace yearly. This will help in prolonging the lifespan of your home’s heating system and reduce your energy bills. Hiring a professional to check and service the system will help ensure that it’s running at maximum efficiency, all year long.

On your own, you can also take some DIY steps to ensure a smooth system operation. You can take some time to check and replace the furnace filters. By regularly performing this home maintenance routine, you can greatly improve the quality of air in your home. Equally, you will be sure that the HVAC systems are running efficiently.

Another benefit of this idea of winterizing your Chicago home is that you can make some minor smart home upgrades. You can add a programmable thermostat. The addition of a programmable thermostat to your home gives you better control over your home’s temperature. It also allows you to monitor your energy use. You can adjust the temperature easily all through the day, and reduce heating costs.

There are sophisticated thermostats with an internet connection. These are designed such that they can send alerts to your phone if there is a serious issue with your home’s heating system.

Check and Service Your Home’s Alarm Systems and Fireplace

If you like the idea of having a roaring fire as a source of heat in your home, ensure that you thoroughly inspect and clean your fireplace. Make sure that the vents and chimney are functional, clean, and safe to use. By doing this earlier in the season, you can prevent the risk of fire outbreaks, and stop carbon monoxide from filtering into your living space.

Likewise, regularly check your carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms and make sure that they are functioning properly. Check and test your alarm system in the preceding months. If necessary, replace the batteries. Generally, consider replacing the batteries in your carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarm every six months. As a way of keeping up to date, you can choose to replace your batteries around the time you adjust your clocks (twice a year for daylight savings time). Replace your entire alarm system once every six to ten years.

Learn more about preparing for the winter months in Chicago here.