Fall and Winter Home Prep: What to Do Before the First Freeze
What You’ll Learn
- Why heating service, alarm testing and dryer vents come first, before the first cold night
- How to protect pipes and outdoor faucets from freezing, and why your main shutoff matters
- What to check on the roof, gutters and exterior once the leaves come down
- How to plan for a home that will sit empty, including insurance questions to ask
- Coastal extras: post-hurricane-season checks and why flood vents should stay open
Cold-weather damage rarely starts with anything dramatic. It starts with a garden hose left connected to a spigot, a furnace that hasn't run since March, or a dryer vent packed with lint. A few hours of prep in the fall prevents most of the expensive problems that show up in January.
This guide goes deeper on the cold-weather half of the year than our year-round seasonal maintenance checklist. It's organized in the order that matters most: heat and safety first, then plumbing, then the exterior, then what to do if the house will sit empty. Coastal homeowners will find a section on closing out hurricane season.
Start with heat and safety
Book heating service early. Furnaces, boilers and heat pumps are easiest to schedule before the first cold snap, when every HVAC company gets busy at once. A technician can check burners, electrical connections, refrigerant levels on heat pumps and, on fuel-burning systems, venting and signs of combustion problems. Replace the air filter at the same time. Filter intervals depend on the filter type and your household, and our HVAC care guide explains why a clogged filter strains the whole system.
If you have a heat pump, clear leaves and debris from around the outdoor unit and learn what your thermostat's "auxiliary" or "emergency" heat setting does. Backup heat is often more expensive to run, so if it seems to be running constantly, that's worth a service call.
Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Heating season is when fuel-burning appliances run the most. Press the test button on every alarm, replace batteries as the manufacturer directs, and replace alarms that are past their service life (the date is usually printed on the back). Many states and localities require carbon monoxide alarms in homes with fuel-burning appliances or attached garages.
Have the chimney inspected if you burn wood or gas. The National Fire Protection Association's standard for chimneys, fireplaces and vents (NFPA 211) calls for an inspection at least once a year. Store firewood away from the house rather than stacked against siding, which also helps with termite and moisture prevention.
Use space heaters carefully. Fire safety agencies recommend keeping them at least three feet from anything that can burn, plugging them directly into a wall outlet rather than an extension cord, and turning them off when you leave the room or go to sleep.
Clean the dryer vent. Lint buildup in the vent duct is a fire risk and makes the dryer work harder. Clean the lint screen every load and have the full vent run cleaned if clothes are taking longer to dry.
Protect your plumbing from freezing
Water expands as it freezes, and a frozen pipe can split. The damage often shows up after the pipe thaws and water starts flowing through the crack. Most of the prevention is simple.
- Disconnect garden hoses from outdoor faucets. A connected hose traps water that can freeze back into the faucet and the pipe behind it, even on many "frost-free" faucets.
- Shut off and drain outdoor faucets that have an interior shutoff valve: close the valve inside, then open the outdoor faucet to let it drain.
- Winterize irrigation systems and protect backflow preventers. In many areas this is a job for an irrigation professional.
- Insulate exposed pipes in crawl spaces, garages, attics, unheated rooms and exterior walls. Foam pipe sleeves are inexpensive. If you use heat tape or heat cable, choose a product listed by a recognized testing laboratory and follow the manufacturer's installation instructions exactly.
- Find and test your main water shutoff. Label it, make sure it turns, and make sure everyone in the household knows where it is. If a pipe bursts, the minutes it takes to find the valve are the difference between a small repair and a large one.
During a hard freeze, keep the heat at a steady temperature day and night, open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls so warm air reaches the pipes, and consider letting a faucet on an exterior wall drip. If a pipe does freeze, never use an open flame to thaw it. Shut off the water if you suspect a break and call a licensed plumber. Our guides on water damage prevention and filing a homeowners claim cover what to do next.
Roof, gutters and exterior once the leaves come down
- Clean gutters after most leaves have fallen, and again later if you have heavy tree cover. Make sure downspouts carry water well away from the foundation. See why gutter maintenance matters.
- Look at the roof from the ground, using binoculars if needed, for missing or lifted shingles, damaged flashing around chimneys and vents, and sagging areas. Leave climbing to a roofing professional. Our roof warning signs guide explains what to look for.
- Seal gaps around windows and doors with caulk and weatherstripping. It cuts drafts and keeps water out. Our paint and caulking guide explains which cracks matter.
- Trim branches that overhang the roof. Winter wind and, in colder climates, ice can bring limbs down onto the house.
- In snowy climates, check attic insulation and ventilation. Ice dams form when heat escaping into the attic melts snow on the roof, and the water refreezes at the colder eaves.
If the home will sit empty this winter
Second homes, homes already on the market, and houses left behind by owners who travel for the winter need a specific plan. An empty house can't tell you a pipe has burst.
- Decide how you'll protect the plumbing. Either keep the heat on at a steady temperature (many plumbers suggest no lower than about 55°F) or have the plumbing professionally winterized, with the water shut off and the lines drained.
- Check your insurance before you leave. Many standard homeowners policies limit coverage for freeze damage in a vacant or unoccupied home unless you kept the heat on or shut off the water and drained the system. Some coverages can also shrink after a home has been vacant for a set period. Our guide to vacancy clauses explains what to ask a licensed insurance agent.
- Arrange regular checks by someone you trust, and keep a simple log with dates and photos.
- Consider leak sensors or an automatic water shutoff valve, and a thermostat that sends an alert if the temperature drops.
Coastal homes: close out hurricane season
The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs June 1 through November 30, and coastal winters bring nor'easters and strong wind events. Fall is a good time to reset.
- Walk the exterior and look at the roof, siding, decks, stairs and windows for storm wear. Take dated photos of the home's condition. A current baseline makes any future claim easier to document.
- Insulate pipes and ductwork under elevated homes. Plumbing that runs beneath a raised house is exposed to wind and cold air in a way that slab-foundation plumbing isn't.
- Don't block flood vents. Many elevated homes in flood zones have openings in the enclosed area below the living space that let floodwater flow through. Covering them to keep out cold air can create floodplain compliance and flood insurance problems. Check with your local floodplain administrator or a licensed insurance agent before changing them. See flood zones explained.
- Rinse salt off outdoor HVAC units as the manufacturer allows, and review what held up during the season using our hurricane season checklist.
A simple fall-to-winter timeline
- Early fall: book heating and chimney service, test smoke and CO alarms, clean the dryer vent.
- Mid-fall: seal gaps, trim branches, first gutter cleaning, coastal exterior walk-through.
- Before the first freeze: disconnect hoses, drain outdoor faucets, winterize irrigation, insulate exposed pipes, test the main shutoff.
- Late fall: second gutter cleaning, roof check from the ground, finalize the plan for any home that will sit empty.
- Through winter: check filters monthly, watch for drafts, ice and unusual utility bills.
If the list turns up bigger repairs, our home maintenance budgeting guide can help you plan for them.
Frequently asked questions
When should I winterize outdoor faucets?
Before the first hard freeze in your area. Your local cooperative extension office or the National Weather Service can tell you typical first-frost dates. Earlier is safer than later.
What temperature should I keep an empty house at in winter?
Many plumbers suggest no lower than about 55°F, but the right answer depends on your home and climate. Confirm what your insurance policy expects, since freeze coverage in an empty home often depends on whether heat was maintained or the water was shut off and drained.
Do heat pumps need fall service?
Most manufacturers recommend regular professional maintenance. Fall is a natural time for it, because the system is about to switch from cooling to heating.
Is a frozen pipe covered by homeowners insurance?
It depends on the policy and the circumstances. Sudden water damage from a burst pipe is often covered, but coverage can be limited if the home was empty and reasonable steps weren't taken to prevent freezing. Review your policy with a licensed insurance agent.
This article is general information, not professional advice. Use licensed professionals for work on gas appliances, electrical systems, roofs and chimneys. Insurance coverage depends on your policy and state; confirm details with a licensed insurance agent.
