Winter is coming! And with it, the potential for serious damage to your home. The last thing anyone wants to deal with in the middle of a freezing cold winter is a plumbing crisis – so we put together this list of things you can do to prepare your home for Winter…

…and make it to Spring damage-free!

Check Your House’s Drainage

Take a walk around the perimeter of your home and look for problem areas where water might pool around your home and seep into your foundation. Check your gutters for holes, your gutter downspouts for clogs, and the ground around your foundation for low spots where water might pool. Water can cause serious damage to your foundation if left unchecked – especially during winter! So don’t skip this vital step.

Close & Drain Outdoor Faucets

Exposed to the elements, your outdoor faucets are much more prone to damage from water freezing. So, make sure to shut off and drain all your outdoor faucets, so your pipes don’t burst! Do this by first finding and turning the shutoff valve for each outdoor faucet – usually found inside, either in the garage, basement or crawlspace nearest the faucet. Once the faucet is turned off, make sure to drain all the water from each faucet, by turning on the faucet until no more water comes out. 

Replace Plumbing Parts In Poor Condition

While you’re dealing with outside faucets, take a few extra minutes to check to see if any faucet handles are broken or stripped, if any pipes or fittings have leaks or cracks, or if shut-off valves are corroded or difficult to turn. If you notice anything is broken, corroding, or generally in bad condition, head to Danco.com and replace them ASAP, before it’s freezing outside!

Seal Up Leaks

A great way to save on utilities and reduce your energy footprint (not to mention stay more comfortable during the winter!) is to check your homes doors and windows for leaks! In older homes especially, weather stripping around windows, doors, chimneys, pipes, ducts and other entry-points can corrode, and start letting in cold drafts when you want them least! So take a tour around your home, replace weather stripping where it’s worn, and use caulk to fill in any gaps.

Avoid Burst Pipes & Floods

A great way to avoid the hassle, stress, and cash-drain of a burst pipe in the middle of winter is to keep your pipes warm! For most of your plumbing, your house’s heating system already takes care of this. But for certain pipes, often in your basement, garage or other unheated areas of your home, a little precaution could save you a lot of time and money. Find all unheated pipes in your home and cover them with insulation and (for an extra layer) heat tape, to keep them warm, and minimize the risk of freezing.

It is important to keep your home’s drains free of clogs and treat them monthly to remove years of build-up that is hidden beneath the floors and walls. Check out Danco’s newest line of premium drain care products, Trufusion.  These unique formulations are blended to specifically target many drain issues and empower homeowners to tackle these to prevent clogs and overflowing drains without the need for a costly plumber.

Follow these tips and your home will be ready to handle the extremes of winter. Stay warm out there!