How to Winterize Your Home: The Complete Checklist (2026)

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Winter is hard on a house. Freezing temperatures can burst pipes, snow and ice can damage your roof, and a drafty home can send your heating bill through the roof.

The good news: most winter damage is preventable, and most of the prep work is cheap and easy to do yourself in a weekend.

This guide walks you through everything, step by step, with a printable checklist at the end and what it costs if you'd rather hire a pro.

Quick tip: The best time to winterize is early to mid-fall, before the first hard freeze. If you're late, don't worry. Start with the plumbing and heating sections first. Those protect you from the most expensive problems.

Why winterizing your home matters

A little prep now can save you thousands later:

A burst pipe can cause thousands of dollars in water damage, and it often happens while you're asleep or away.
Air leaks around windows and doors waste a big chunk of the heat you pay for. ENERGY STAR estimates homeowners can save an average of about 15% on heating and cooling costs by sealing air leaks and adding insulation.
Clogged gutters can lead to ice dams, which force water under your shingles and into your ceilings.
A neglected furnace is more likely to break down on the coldest night of the year, when repair companies are busiest.

1. Heating system

Your furnace or heat pump is about to work harder than it has all year. Give it some attention first.

☐ Schedule a furnace tune-up. A technician cleans the system, checks for gas leaks and carbon monoxide risks, and spots small problems before they turn into a no-heat emergency. Book early. HVAC companies get very busy once it turns cold.

☐ Replace the furnace filter. A dirty filter makes your system work harder and raises your energy bill. Most filters should be changed every 1 to 3 months during heating season. Write the size down (it's printed on the side of the filter) so buying the next one is easy.

☐ Test your thermostat, or upgrade it. Make sure it turns the heat on reliably. A programmable or smart thermostat lets you lower the temperature automatically while you sleep or are at work. The U.S. Department of Energy says turning your thermostat back 7 to 10°F for 8 hours a day can save up to 10% a year on heating and cooling.

☐ Clear around vents and radiators. Move furniture, rugs and curtains away from heating vents so warm air can circulate.

☐ Reverse your ceiling fans. Set ceiling fans to spin clockwise at low speed. This gently pushes warm air that collects near the ceiling back down into the room.

2. Plumbing (prevent frozen pipes)

Frozen pipes are one of the most expensive winter problems, and one of the easiest to prevent.

☐ Disconnect and drain garden hoses. A hose left attached can trap water in the outdoor faucet, which freezes and can crack the pipe inside your wall. Drain hoses and store them in a garage or shed.

☐ Shut off and drain outdoor faucets. If your outdoor faucet has a shut-off valve inside the house, turn it off, then open the outdoor faucet to let the remaining water drain. Add an insulated faucet cover for extra protection.

☐ Insulate exposed pipes. Pipes in unheated areas (basements, crawl spaces, attics, garages and under sinks on outside walls) are most at risk. Foam pipe insulation is cheap and slips right on.

☐ Blow out your sprinkler system. If you have an in-ground irrigation system, it needs to be drained or blown out with compressed air before the first freeze. Most homeowners hire a pro for this.

☐ Know where your main water shut-off valve is. If a pipe ever bursts, shutting off the water fast can be the difference between a small mess and a flooded home. Find it now, make sure it turns, and show everyone in your household.

☐ Check your water heater. Setting it to 120°F is enough for most homes and saves energy. If you have an older tank heater, consider having it flushed to remove sediment.

On very cold nights:

Let faucets on outside walls drip slightly. Moving water is less likely to freeze.
Open cabinet doors under kitchen and bathroom sinks so warm air reaches the pipes.
Keep your heat set to at least 55°F, even if you're traveling.

3. Windows and doors (stop the drafts)

Drafty windows and doors let warm air out and cold air in, and you pay for it.

☐ Find your drafts. On a windy day, hold a lit candle or incense stick near window frames, door frames and outlets on exterior walls. If the smoke moves sideways, you've found a leak.

☐ Re-caulk gaps around window frames. Cracked or missing caulk is a common source of leaks. A tube of exterior caulk costs only a few dollars.

☐ Add weatherstripping to doors. If you can see daylight around a closed door or feel a breeze, replace the weatherstripping. Add a door sweep or draft stopper to the bottom of exterior doors.

☐ Use window insulation film on drafty windows. Clear shrink film kits go on with double-sided tape and a hair dryer. They're nearly invisible and help a lot on older single-pane windows.

☐ Swap screens for storm windows if your home has them.

☐ Hang heavier curtains. Thermal curtains help hold heat in at night. Open them on sunny days to let free solar heat in.

4. Roof, gutters and the outside of your home

☐ Clean your gutters and downspouts. Once the leaves have fallen, clear out the gutters. Clogged gutters cause ice dams: ridges of ice that trap melting snow and push water under your shingles. Make sure downspouts send water at least 3 to 4 feet away from your foundation.

☐ Inspect the roof. From the ground (with binoculars) or a safe ladder, look for missing, cracked or curling shingles and damaged flashing around the chimney and vents. It's much cheaper to fix a small problem now than a leak in January.

☐ Trim tree branches near the house. Heavy snow and ice can snap branches onto your roof, car or power lines.

☐ Seal gaps in the exterior. Look for cracks where pipes, wires and vents enter the house. Seal them with caulk or expanding foam. This also keeps out mice, which love to move indoors for winter.

☐ Check your attic insulation. If you can see the tops of your ceiling joists, you probably need more. Good attic insulation keeps heat in and helps prevent ice dams.

☐ Store or cover outdoor furniture and grills.

5. Fireplace and chimney

☐ Get your chimney inspected and cleaned. Safety organizations recommend an annual chimney inspection. Creosote buildup can cause chimney fires.

☐ Check the damper. Make sure it opens and closes properly. Keep it closed when the fireplace isn't in use, or your warm air goes right up the chimney.

☐ Stock up on dry, seasoned firewood and store it off the ground and away from the house.

6. Safety

☐ Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Heating season is when carbon monoxide risks are highest. Test every detector, replace batteries, and add a CO detector near sleeping areas if you don't have one.

☐ Check your fire extinguisher. Make sure the gauge is in the green zone and it's easy to reach in the kitchen.

☐ Space heater safety. If you use space heaters, keep them 3 feet away from anything that can burn, plug them directly into the wall (not an extension cord), and never leave them running when you leave the room or go to sleep.

7. Winter emergency prep

Storms can knock out power for days. Be ready before you need it.

☐ Build a winter emergency kit: flashlights, extra batteries, a battery-powered radio, blankets, bottled water, non-perishable food, a first-aid kit, and any medications you need.

☐ Get your snow tools ready. Check your snow shovel and snow blower (change the oil, add fresh fuel). Buy pet-safe ice melt before the first storm, when stores sell out.

☐ Consider a backup power source. If your area loses power often, a portable generator or power station can keep the essentials running. Never run a generator indoors or in a garage.

What does it cost to winterize a home?

Most winterizing is DIY and costs under $100 in supplies. Here's what common jobs cost if you hire a professional (typical U.S. ranges; prices vary by location):

Job	DIY cost	Professional cost
Furnace tune-up	N/A	$80 to $200
Gutter cleaning	$0 to $30	$120 to $250
Chimney inspection & sweep	N/A	$150 to $400
Sprinkler blowout	N/A	$60 to $150
Pipe insulation	$10 to $50	$100 to $350
Weatherstripping & caulking	$20 to $60	$150 to $400
Window insulation film	$15 to $40 per kit	N/A
Smart thermostat	$100 to $250	$150 to $400 installed
Attic insulation	$500 to $1,500	$1,500 to $3,500+

Prices are estimates and vary by region, home size and contractor. Always get 2 to 3 quotes for larger jobs.

Your printable winterizing checklist

Heating

☐ Furnace tune-up booked
☐ New furnace filter installed
☐ Thermostat tested / programmed
☐ Vents cleared
☐ Ceiling fans set to clockwise

Plumbing

☐ Garden hoses disconnected and drained
☐ Outdoor faucets shut off and covered
☐ Exposed pipes insulated
☐ Sprinklers blown out
☐ Main water shut-off located
☐ Water heater set to 120°F

Windows & doors

☐ Drafts found and sealed
☐ Caulk repaired
☐ Weatherstripping and door sweeps added
☐ Window film on drafty windows

Outside

☐ Gutters cleaned
☐ Roof checked
☐ Branches trimmed
☐ Exterior gaps sealed
☐ Outdoor furniture stored

Fireplace & safety

☐ Chimney inspected
☐ Smoke and CO detectors tested
☐ Fire extinguisher checked

Emergency

☐ Emergency kit ready
☐ Snow shovel / ice melt ready

Frequently asked questions

When should I winterize my house? Ideally in early to mid-fall, before nighttime temperatures regularly drop below freezing. In colder northern states, that can mean September or October. In milder climates, November is usually fine.

What temperature should I keep my house at in winter to prevent frozen pipes? Keep your thermostat at 55°F or higher, even when you're away. The pipes inside your walls are colder than the air in your rooms.

How do I winterize a house I'm leaving empty? Keep the heat at 55°F or higher, shut off the main water supply, and drain the pipes by opening faucets at the lowest and highest points of the house. Ask a neighbor to check on it regularly, or use a smart thermostat or water leak sensor that alerts your phone.

Is it worth hiring someone to winterize my home? Most tasks are easy DIY jobs. It's worth hiring a pro for the furnace tune-up, chimney inspection, sprinkler blowout and any roof work. Those involve safety risks or special equipment.

What's the most important winterizing step? Protecting your plumbing. Frozen and burst pipes cause some of the most expensive winter damage, and preventing them costs very little.

The bottom line

Winterizing your home doesn't take much time or money, but it can save you from frozen pipes, high heating bills and emergency repairs. Start with the plumbing and heating, seal the drafts, clean the gutters, and get your emergency kit ready. Your future self, and your wallet, will thank you.

Bookmark this page or save it to Pinterest so you have the checklist ready every fall.