Weatherproofing Your Home Before Winter Arrives

Walk the perimeter of your home on a cold or windy day and hold your hand near window frames, door frames, electrical outlets on exterior walls, and any point where pipes or cables pass through the wall. Even small gaps can account for significant heat loss over a season.

Apply exterior-grade caulk to any stationary gaps — meaning places that don't open or move. For the moving edges of operable windows and door stops, use self-adhesive weatherstripping. Replace door sweeps on exterior doors if daylight is visible at the bottom.

Inspect your basement, crawl space, garage, and any other unheated area for water supply pipes running close to exterior walls or in uninsulated cavities. These are the pipes most at risk of freezing when temperatures drop well below freezing.

Slide foam pipe insulation sleeves over each exposed run, cutting to length with a utility knife and securing seams with duct tape. Pay particular attention to pipes near exterior walls and in corners where cold air tends to pool.

In most U.S. climates, the attic floor is the single most important insulation location in a home. Inadequate insulation there allows heat to rise from living spaces into the attic, warming the underside of the roof deck — a primary cause of ice dams, which form when that escaped heat melts snow that then refreezes at the cold eaves.

Look up your climate zone's recommended R-value from the U.S. Department of Energy's guidelines (most of the country benefits from R-38 to R-60 in the attic). If your existing insulation is thin, compressed, or damaged, adding batts or having blown-in insulation added can make a substantial difference. For a full breakdown of insulation types by location, see our room-by-room insulation guide.

Replace the furnace or air handler filter — a clogged filter forces the system to work harder and reduces air quality. If you have a forced-air system, check that all supply and return registers are unobstructed by furniture or rugs. Bleed radiators on hot-water heating systems if they've felt less effective in recent months.

For gas furnaces, boilers, and fireplaces, schedule a professional service call. A licensed HVAC technician will check burners, heat exchangers, and flue connections — issues that matter for both efficiency and safety.

Clogged gutters are a direct contributor to ice dams: when water can't drain, it sits at the roofline and freezes, backing up under shingles. Clean out all leaves and debris from gutters and downspouts before freezing temperatures arrive, and confirm that downspouts direct water at least a few feet away from the foundation.

While on or near the roof, visually inspect for missing, cracked, or curling shingles. Any compromised areas allow water intrusion during freeze-thaw cycles. Minor visible issues can sometimes be addressed with roofing sealant; anything involving multiple shingles or the flashing around chimneys and vents should be assessed by a licensed roofing professional.