Getting the house ready for winter

Winter preparation is a quantity problem with a deadline: how many feet of weatherstripping, how much attic insulation, how many cords of firewood, how many pounds of ice melt, and how many watts of backup power. Everything is cheaper and easier to find in early autumn than in the first cold snap, when stores sell out and delivery slots fill.

This planner works from the outside of the house in: stop the heat leaking out first, then make sure the heating can keep up, then stock the fuel and plan for a power outage.

Step 1: Seal the drafts

Air leaks around doors and windows are the cheapest heat loss to fix. Measure the total length of door and window edges, then buy weatherstripping to match, with a little extra for waste. A door sweep on exterior doors and shrink film on drafty windows cost little and take an afternoon.

Step 2: Check the attic insulation

Heat rises, so the attic is where most houses lose the most. Compare the depth you have with the R-value recommended for your climate zone, then work out how much more to add. Keep insulation clear of recessed light housings and flues, and do not block the soffit vents.

Step 3: Make sure the heat can keep up

If a furnace, heater or water heater struggles in the cold, check whether it is the right size for the space before replacing it. Compare what different fuels cost per unit of heat, since the cheapest way to heat a home depends on local energy prices.

Step 4: Stock the fuel

Wood, pellets and propane all need ordering before the weather turns. Firewood should be seasoned and stacked off the ground, a pellet stove burns through bags faster than most people expect, and a propane tank should be filled before you need it, not when the gauge reads empty.

Step 5: Ice, snow and the roof

Buy ice melt by the area you need to treat, not by the biggest bag. If you have had ice dams at the eaves, an ice and water membrane under the first courses of shingles is the long-term fix, and a ladder of the right length makes clearing gutters safer.

Step 6: Plan for a power outage

List what must keep running in an outage, add up the watts, and size a generator or a portable power station from that list. Run a generator outdoors, well away from windows, and fit working carbon monoxide alarms in the house.

Before you start

• Weatherstripping and a door sweep on every exterior door.
• A look at the attic insulation depth, and the soffit vents clear.
• A furnace filter change and a service booked before the first cold snap.
• Firewood or pellets ordered and stored dry, and a propane tank filled.
• Ice melt, a snow shovel and a spreader by the door.
• Working carbon monoxide and smoke alarms, with fresh batteries.

Mistakes that cost people money

• Waiting for the first freeze to order fuel, ice melt or a generator.
• Adding heat to a house that is still leaking it through the attic and the doors.
• Running a generator or a fuel heater in a garage or near a window.
• Burning unseasoned firewood, which gives little heat and builds up creosote.
• Letting a propane tank run empty before ordering a refill.

Frequently asked questions