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This winter home maintenance checklist is the same list I work through at our house in Greenwood, Indiana every fall. It covers the 15 jobs that keep pipes from freezing, the furnace running, and the family safe, sorted by where they happen: outside the house, the heating and safety systems, and inside the house. Most of them take less than an hour, and every one links to a full step-by-step guide if you need more detail.
Here’s my own routine. Before the first hard freeze, I shut off the outside spigots, drain the hoses and put them away, blow out the sprinkler system, clean the gutters, and winterize the mower. Then I change the furnace filter and test every smoke and carbon monoxide detector. So far that routine has kept us clear of winter problems. Most winters, the biggest job is just snow and ice removal.
WHAT’S IN THIS GUIDE
When to Start Your Winter Home Maintenance
Start in early to mid fall, while it’s still comfortable to work outside and well before the first hard freeze. The outdoor jobs on this list are the ones with a deadline. Once the temperature drops into the 20s overnight, water left in a spigot, hose, or sprinkler line can freeze, expand, and crack the pipe. In central Indiana, that usually means getting the outside work done by late October or early November.
The indoor and safety tasks can be done anytime, but it makes sense to knock them out at the same time. The furnace is about to start running every day, and fall is when you want to find a problem, not on the first cold night of the year.
Outside the House (Tasks 1–6)
1. Shut off and drain the outside spigots
This is the most important outdoor job on any winter home maintenance checklist. Find the shutoff valve for each outside spigot inside the house, usually in the basement, crawl space, or a utility room, and close it. Then go outside and open the spigot so the water left in the line drains out. Leave it open for the winter. Our spigots are frost-free, and I still shut them off every year, because a frost-free spigot can still crack if a hose is left attached and traps water inside it.
If your spigots don’t have an inside shutoff, an insulated outdoor faucet cover adds a layer of protection. Our guide on how to prevent frozen pipes covers the rest of the plumbing. Source: University of Illinois Extension — How to Winterize Outdoor Plumbing
2. Drain the hoses and put them away
Disconnect every garden hose from the spigot, stretch it out on a slope or over a railing so the water runs out, then coil it up and store it in the garage or shed. A hose left attached holds water against the spigot, and when that water freezes it can damage the spigot and the pipe behind it. Hoses also last longer when they aren’t left out to freeze and thaw all winter.
3. Blow out the sprinkler system
Water left in sprinkler lines freezes, expands, and cracks pipes, fittings, and heads, and you won’t find the damage until you turn the system on in spring. Shut off the water to the system, then use an air compressor to push the water out of each zone. A sprinkler blow-out adapter connects the compressor hose to the system. Our guide on how to winterize your sprinkler system walks through it zone by zone, including the pressure to use so you don’t damage anything.
4. Clean the gutters
Wait until most of the leaves are down, then clear the gutters and make sure the downspouts are flowing. Clogged gutters overflow, and in winter that water can freeze along the roof edge or soak the ground right next to the foundation. Our guide on how to clean gutters covers the safest way to do it from a ladder. If water pools near the house, it’s also a good time to extend your downspouts away from the house.
5. Winterize the lawn mower
After the last mow of the year, add fuel stabilizer to the tank and run the engine for a few minutes so it reaches the carburetor, or run the tank dry. Then change the oil, clean under the deck, and sharpen the blade so it’s ready in spring. Old gas left in a mower over winter is the most common reason it won’t start in April. Our guide on how to winterize a lawn mower has the full step-by-step.
6. Finish the fall yard cleanup
Rake or mulch the leaves so they don’t smother the lawn under the snow, put away patio furniture, and store anything that can crack in the cold, like ceramic pots and rain barrels. Our fall yard cleanup checklist covers the whole yard.
Heating and Safety (Tasks 7–11)
7. Change the furnace filter
A clogged filter makes the furnace work harder, raises the heating bill, and can even make the furnace shut itself off. I change ours at the start of every heating season, then check it once a month through the winter and replace it when it looks dirty. If you’re not sure what to buy, our guide on how to choose a furnace filter explains the ratings. Check the size printed on the edge of your current filter before you order a new furnace air filter so it fits.
8. Test the furnace before the first cold night
Turn the thermostat up on a cool fall day and make sure the furnace kicks on and blows warm air. It’s much easier to fix a problem or get a service appointment in October than in the middle of a cold snap. If it doesn’t start, our guide on what to check when your furnace won’t turn on covers the simple fixes first. The U.S. Fire Administration also recommends having heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected by a professional every year. Source: U.S. Fire Administration — Heating Fire Safety
While you’re in the basement, it’s also a good time to flush the water heater.
9. Test the smoke detectors
Press the test button on every smoke detector in the house and replace the batteries if any are weak. Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fires in winter, so this is the time to make sure every alarm works. Smoke detectors also have an expiration date, usually 10 years from the date printed on the back. If yours are past that, our guide on how to replace smoke detectors shows how to swap them out, and a sealed 10-year smoke detector means you won’t have to change batteries again.
10. Test the carbon monoxide detectors
Any home with a gas furnace, gas water heater, fireplace, or attached garage needs working carbon monoxide detectors, and winter is when they matter most. Test each one and check the expiration date. If you’re not sure you have enough, or they’re in the right spots, see our guide on where to put carbon monoxide detectors.
11. Clean the dryer vent
Lint builds up in the dryer vent and duct over time, and it’s highly flammable. A clogged vent also makes every load take longer to dry. Pull the dryer away from the wall, disconnect the duct, and clean it out from both ends. Our guide on how to clean a dryer vent walks through it step by step.
Inside the House (Tasks 12–15)
12. Seal drafty windows and doors
Hold your hand near the edges of windows and doors on a windy day. If you feel cold air, you’re paying to heat the outside. The U.S. Department of Energy calls weatherstripping, caulking, and added insulation low-cost ways to cut air leaks. Fresh foam weatherstripping around doors and a bead of caulk around window trim fix most drafts in an afternoon. Our guide on how to seal windows and doors for winter covers each fix. Source: U.S. Department of Energy — Six Simple Steps to Save Energy and Money This Winter
13. Protect pipes in cold spots
Pipes in an unheated garage, crawl space, or along an outside wall are the ones most likely to freeze. Wrap exposed pipes with foam pipe insulation, and on the coldest nights open the cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls so warm air can reach the pipes. Our guide on how to prevent frozen pipes has all 9 steps. If you travel in winter, a smart water leak and freeze sensor sends an alert to your phone if the temperature near the pipes drops too low or water starts leaking.
14. Keep mice and pests out
As soon as it gets cold, mice start looking for a way in. Walk around the outside of the house and seal any gaps around pipes, vents, and the garage door. A mouse can fit through a hole about the size of a dime. Our guide on how to keep mice out of your house shows what to use for each kind of gap. If you’ve had stink bugs on your screens this fall, the same sealing work keeps them out too. See how to get rid of stink bugs.
Already hearing noises at night? Check for these signs of mice in walls.
15. Set a thermostat schedule
The Department of Energy says setting your thermostat back 7 to 10 degrees for 8 hours a day, while you’re asleep or away, can cut as much as 10% a year off your heating bill. A programmable or smart thermostat does it automatically, so you don’t have to remember. Set it once in the fall and forget it. Source: U.S. Department of Energy — Six Simple Steps to Save Energy and Money This Winter.
Want to see what it’s worth for your house? Try our thermostat savings calculator.
Get Ready for Snow and Ice
In Greenwood, snow and ice removal is the winter job I can count on every year. Get ready before the first storm, not during it:
- Check your snow shovels and replace any with a cracked blade
- Buy ice melt early, before the stores sell out on the first icy morning
- If you have a snow blower, change the oil, add fresh gas with stabilizer, and start it before you need it
- Clear a path to the gas meter, the dryer vent, and any furnace vents on the outside wall after every snowfall, so they can breathe
- Keep a flashlight, extra batteries, blankets, and a few days of water and food in case the power goes out
If you use space heaters during a cold snap, keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away from them, and turn them off when you leave the room or go to bed. Source: U.S. Fire Administration — Heating Fire Safety
Big icicles on the roof edge are a warning sign. Here’s how to prevent ice dams before the snow starts.
Not sure which bag to buy? Here’s how to pick the best ice melt for your driveway, pets, and plants.
If you heat with wood, use our firewood calculator to order enough before the first cold snap.
The Quick Checklist
Here’s the whole winter home maintenance checklist in one place. Bookmark this page and come back to it every fall.
Outside the house:
- Shut off and drain the outside spigots
- Drain the hoses and put them away
- Blow out the sprinkler system
- Clean the gutters
- Winterize the lawn mower
- Finish the fall yard cleanup
Heating and safety:
- Change the furnace filter
- Test the furnace
- Test the smoke detectors
- Test the carbon monoxide detectors
- Clean the dryer vent
Inside the house:
- Seal drafty windows and doors
- Protect pipes in cold spots
- Keep mice and pests out
- Set a thermostat schedule
Frequently Asked Questions About Winter Home Maintenance
When should I start my winter home maintenance checklist?
Start in early to mid fall, at least a few weeks before the first hard freeze. Do the outdoor jobs first, like shutting off the spigots and blowing out the sprinklers, because those have to be finished before overnight temperatures drop into the 20s.
Should I leave my outside faucets open in winter?
Yes, once you’ve closed the shutoff valve inside the house. Opening the outside faucet lets the water drain out of the line, so there’s nothing left to freeze and crack the pipe. Leave it open until spring.
Do I need to winterize frost-free spigots?
You still need to disconnect the hose. A frost-free spigot is designed to drain itself, but only when nothing is attached. A hose left connected traps water inside, which can freeze and split the pipe. Many homeowners also close the inside shutoff for extra protection.
How often should I change my furnace filter in winter?
Check it once a month while the furnace is running every day, and replace it when it looks gray and dusty, or at whatever interval the filter’s packaging recommends. Homes with pets or lots of dust usually need to change it more often.
What temperature should I set my thermostat to in winter?
Pick a temperature that’s comfortable when you’re home and awake, then set it back 7 to 10 degrees while you sleep or are away. According to the Department of Energy, doing that for 8 hours a day can save up to 10% a year on heating.
What happens if I don’t blow out my sprinkler system?
Water left in the lines can freeze, expand, and crack pipes, fittings, and sprinkler heads. You usually won’t see the damage until spring, when you turn the system on and find leaks or zones that won’t run.