With fall here, winter is just around the corner. The holiday season can be an extremely stressful and busy time. Let’s avoid adding to the stress by making sure our homes are ready for the winter season.

That is why we put together these helpful tips so you are ready to begin your winter home preparation. Winter weather can be severe and potentially damaging to both your home and car. Follow these tips to avoid disasters such as frozen water pipes bursting and ice dams damaging your roof.

According to Kiplinger here are multiple ways to prepare your home for winter:

• Check your heating system and even give it a test run for good measure. In fact, for about $80 to $100 a technician can inspect your heating system to make sure it is running efficiently and is clean. Doing this will allow your heating system to achieve manufacturer-rated efficiency. (Also, make sure furniture in your home is not blocking any heating vents).
• Once the majority of leaves stop falling make sure to clean your gutters of any loose leaves or debris. Doing so will help prevent any ice dams or leaks from damaging your home.
• Another helpful tip is to add extensions to water spouts so that water runs at least 3-4 feet away from the foundation of your home. Doing this will help avoid slippery patches of ice or possible flooding nearby the foundation of the home.
• Drain water faucets and lawn irrigation systems. Undrained water pipes can freeze and burst if not properly winterized and prepared. Start by draining your garden hoses and then draining the water that remains in outside faucets. In the case that you don’t have frost-proof faucets turn off the shut-off valve inside your home.
• Consider mulching your leaves instead of raking them in the Fall. Doing this will allow the dime-sized pieces of leaf debris to fall between the blades of grass. The debris from mulching will decompose and help nourish your lawn through the winter season.
• Test your sump pump before the winter season. Slowly and carefully pour several gallons of water into the sump pit to test if the sump pump turns on properly. Remember to check your owner’s manual for more complete information on maintenance and testing.
• Remember to properly check and prepare your chimney. This entails making sure your fireplace chimney and vents are clean and in good condition. If you need a chimney sweep professional be sure to search for a certified sweep via Chimney Safety Institute of America.
• Check your roof for any damaged or missing shingles. Also related to roof inspection, consider having tree branches remove that hang over the home that could become weighted down with ice and snow.
• Add weather stripping doors and consider making sure windows are properly caulked. This will help protect against any drafts or unwanted heat loss from the home.
• Remember to restock winter essentials such as salt or ice melt and snow removal gear such as shovels and roof rakes so you are prepared to battle winters snow and ice assault. (For snow blowers remember to keep fuel in proper safety containers away from heat or flame producing risks).

We hope these tips help you prepare for a 2016 winter season that is both stress free and safe for you and your family.