Tips for Winterizing Your Home
As the days get shorter, when everything becomes pumpkin spice-flavored and we return to our school-year routines, it’s easy to fall into the first day of school to Christmas pipeline. Before we know it, the first gasps of spring are upon us, revealing home projects like a leaky roof or busted hose spigot — or worse — caused by the dark Pacific Northwest days and freezing temperatures.
In his role as training and exercise program administrator with the city of Bellevue’s Office of Emergency Management, Brett Berntsen is partly responsible for the development of multimodal training that ultimately helps the community be better prepared for disasters that could ultimately cause harm to residents and homes.
“Winter in the Pacific Northwest can produce surprises beyond the usual rain and wind. Rapid freeze/thaw cycles, heavy ice, and intense windstorms can all create cascading problems for residents,” Berntsen said, citing a December 2022 ice event and last year’s bomb cyclone as notable examples.
Of the most common and costly issues Berntsen has encountered post-cold snaps, burst pipes top the list.
“They often occur overnight or when a home is vacant, and water damage can cascade quickly into extensive and costly repairs. When combined with prolonged power outages and heating loss, these incidents can create serious safety and health risks for households,” he said.
Berntsen says residents must take the time in the fall to ensure all hoses are disconnected and pipes and faucets in exposed or unheated areas are insulated. He noted that unheated attics, garages, and crawl spaces are the most vulnerable.
“If necessary, let the cold-water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes when the weather is very cold outside,” he said. “Running water through the pipe, even at a trickle, helps prevent pipes from freezing.”
While these plumbing measures are important, there are many other steps homeowners can take now to keep their homes safe and maintained through the dark days of winter. Between our own oopsie-daisy mistakes and Berntsen’s expert experience, we’ve compiled a roof-to-foundation checklist of fall dos to avoid spring d‘ohs (a la Homer Simpson’s boneheaded, forehead-slap-inducing blunders).
Check the items off right here in the magazine, or hang this checklist in the garage as an annual fall maintenance reminder.
Roof
Avoid moss growth by spreading zinc sulfate or installing zinc strips
Clean gutters and downspouts
Trim branches that hang over the roof
Windows, Doors, and Exterior
Caulk windows and doors, if needed
Check for peeling paint and repair if needed
Weather seal wooden porches, decks, awnings, and fences
Heating and Plumbing
Change furnace filter
Check when the furnace last had a tune-up, and schedule a service call if needed.
Have the chimney inspected and swept
Clean vents and registers
Insulate any exposed pipes
Ensure everyone knows where the home’s water shut off valve is located
Landscaping and Yard
Rake and remove all leaves
Detach hoses and cover outdoor spigots
Blow water out of in-ground sprinkler systems
Bring outdoor furniture padding inside, and cover items staying outside
Power wash pavers and concrete walkways if moss is present
Other Odds and Ends
Clean dryer vents
Replace any burned-out bulbs, especially outdoors
Test all smoke and C02 detectors and replace batteries, if needed
Check all fire extinguishers and first aid kits; make sure items are not expired
Compile a preparedness kit (water, food, blankets, chargers, battery-powered radio, etc.)
Plug high-value electrical equipment like TVs and computers into a surge protector
