7 Ways to Winterize an Older Home in Wisconsin

Jul 21, 2022Blog, Storm Damage

Wisconsin’s winters are incredibly chilly. Take January, for instance; temperatures can plummet to -40°F. And the worst part is that the cold season can last more than three months. So, knowing how to winterize a house in Wisconsin is mandatory if you reside in this state.

If you don’t know how to prepare your home in Wisconsin for winter, don’t fret. This piece will introduce you to several effective tips to help you achieve that end, including sealing gaps, pruning, and hiring roof inspection and repair experts.

How to Winterize a House in Wisconsin

7 Ways to Winterize an Older Home in Wisconsin: A girl thinking about how to winterize a house in Wisconsin

One question that runs through many people’s minds before the cold season is “how to winterize a house in Wisconsin.” If it has been bugging you too, here are several useful tips:

1. Seal All Gaps

Winter wouldn’t be so dreadful if it weren’t for the cold, right? Fortunately, you can seek comfort indoors. Now, picture living in a house where the indoors are nearly as chilly as the outdoors. Horrifying.

Older homes often have gaps and openings in the framing around windows and doors. They let air seep in from outside, making living spaces incredibly cold and uncomfortable. Subsequently, that forces you to crank up the heating, leading to spiking energy bills.

To avoid such issues, seal all gaps and openings using caulk or sealant before winter is in full effect.

2. Clean the Gutters

Clean the Gutters

Most autumn days are magical- fabulous weather, bountiful harvests, and turning tree colors. You must have also heard many people call this season fall. Why do they do that?

Falling leaves. Most deciduous trees shed their leaves at this time of the year. If trees surround your home, the leaves falling in autumn may land in your gutters. Although a handful of dry leaves is hardly a problem, if you don’t clean your gutters, they will accumulate, undermine water drainage, and encourage the formation of ice dams.

You don’t want a drainage problem when winter kicks in because water pools freeze in colder weather, leading to sagging gutters and, eventually, extensive damage.

3. Protect Your Piping

Protect you frozen pipes

Frozen pipes are one of the plumbing problems you may face during winter. Since this season is exceptionally chilly, the cold encourages water to freeze, especially in supply lines and pipes installed along exterior walls and in uninsulated spaces like attics and basements.

Frozen water eventually leads to excess pressure in pipes. And when pressure build-up becomes critical, the supply lines burst, causing leaks and extensive water damage.

Luckily, you can protect your supply lines from freezing in winter in several ways. First, insulate your pipes, especially if they are in crawl spaces. In addition, seal all cracks and gaps near your piping system to prevent cold air from leaking.

4. Adjust the Thermostat

Man in winter clothes feeling cold adjusting room temperature with electronic thermostat at home

Your home’s heating system has a thermostat that you can use to control temperatures and indoor comfort levels. Unfortunately, if you are unfamiliar with recommended settings, the device may become a liability by encouraging higher utility bills.

Experts encourage Wisconsin residents to set their thermostats to 68-72°F. This temperature range is enough to warm your home and ensure everyone is comfortable. Plus, it saves energy and mitigates consumption.

5. Prep Your Furnace

A couple is choosing a furnace to prepare for the incoming winter season

Furnaces are among the best heating systems available today. They are incredibly efficient, fast, and cost-effective. However, your furnace may break down at the worst possible time- winter- and leave your family freezing in the cold. Fortunately, you can prevent that.

Preparing your furnace for winter and staving off unexpected breakdowns requires you to do several things. First, change dirty filters. That is essential because these components may contribute to short cycling issues and extensive damage.

In addition, check if the intake pipes are clear and hire an expert to perform preventive maintenance before winter comes knocking.

6. Prune Your Trees

Prune your trees shears in late winter

Damaged, dying, and dead tree branches are dangerous in winter. Why? These components often accumulate snow and ice. When the weight becomes too much to bear, they break and come crashing down.

Broken branches may fall on your house or car, causing extensive or irreparable damage. Worse still, a branch laden with snow and ice may break close to a loved one and injure them. To protect your property and household members, prune all trees before winter.

Besides, pruning before temperatures drop rejuvenates weaker trees and stimulates additional growth. The earlier you prune, the healthier your plants will look come spring.

7. Get a Roof Inspection

Home inspector standing on a ladder and providing an inspection to the roof of a house.

Your roof is your first line of defense against the elements. So, you must do everything possible to ensure it’s structurally sound and functional, especially before harsh winter conditions set in.

Before winter, schedule a roof inspection. An inspector will thoroughly assess the system’s conditions, isolate prevalent problems, and suggest repairs or restoration.

Don’t face the Wisconsin winter with an uninspected roofing system. If you ignore inspection, existing issues will aggravate come winter and make your life a nightmare.

Ready to Winterize Your Home?

Various elements and conditions batter your roof constantly, including the blistering summer heat and raging autumn storms. And, since you need this component to survive the harsh winter weather, letting Revive Restoration inspect it and fix any damages is highly advisable.

Our company has everything needed to effectively winterize your roof: access to quality materials, skilled workers, and state-of-the-art equipment. What’s more, we inspect your roof and provide estimates for free!

Reach out to us or give us a call today for more information. We look forward to hearing from you.