The Guide to Winterizing Your Home as a Snowbird

Before you head south for the winter, protect your home from freezing temperatures. You don’t want to face any unpleasant surprises when you get back. 

Plumbing

Preventing frozen pipes in winter is probably the most important step you can take. Water will keep coming out of a ruptured pipe until it gets turned off, so it can cause thousands of dollars’ worth of damage.

• Cover exposed pipes in your garage, attic or crawlspace with insulation.
• Drain all the water from indoor and outdoor plumbing, including toilets and faucets. Drain water tanks and pumps.
• If you choose not to drain everything, keep the heat high enough to keep pipes from freezing.

Heat

You’ll probably need to keep your heat system running through the winter, even if you set your temperature lower. As part of winterizing your home, you should:

• Raise the temperature on the thermostat to check that the furnace comes on quickly.
• Replace your air filter if needed.
• Fill the oil or propane tank if you have one.

Cooling

Even though your cooling system won’t need to run while you’re gone, you should still make sure it’s protected against winter weather.

• If you have an outdoor condenser, clean off debris and cover it to protect it from the elements.
• Remove window air conditioners. Cold can damage them, and they leave space for cold air to get into the house.
• Reverse the direction of your ceiling fans so they push warm air down from the ceiling.

Electricity

It’s best to minimize your electrical usage when you aren’t home.

• Unplug all fixtures and appliances you aren’t using. This includes the refrigerator. 
• If you don’t need any electricity, you can turn off the main breaker.

Roof

Roofs are another area where winter weather can cause damage that’s expensive to repair. It can help to:

• Clean gutters so water can’t build up in them and freeze.
• Replace missing shingles to protect against leaks.

Fireplace/Chimney

Protect against cold air and critters.

• Close the damper and any glass doors.
• Make sure there aren’t animals, like raccoons or squirrels, nesting in the chimney.

Heat Loss

Keep warm air inside the home as much as possible.

• Check for leaks around windows, doors, electrical outlets and seams. 
• Make sure the insulation in your attic is at least 12 inches thick.
• Install storm doors and windows.

Outdoors

While outdoor areas are designed with the weather in mind, you can keep your yard looking better if you:

• Store or cover patio furniture.
• Seal your deck, if needed.

Is Your Homeowners Insurance Ready for Winter?

When you’re going to be away from home for a while, it’s a good idea to review your insurance coverage. That way if anything happens while you’re not there you’ll be better prepared. Reach out to your Farm Bureau agent to see if you need any changes to your coverage for the winter.