Colorado Winter Home Checklist: 8 Essential Tips

# A Simple Pre-Winter Home Checklist for Colorado Homeowners
**8 Things to Do Before Colorado's First Hard Freeze**
No one can tell you exactly when winter will arrive in Colorado, because it can change in a matter of hours. That’s why it is wise to prepare your home for the season of snow, sleet, ice, and sub-freezing temperatures now, while the temperature is still a mild 75 degrees and sunny.
Protect your largest asset. Home Winterization Services for homeowners in Arvada, Westminster, Broomfield, Golden and throughout the Denver Metro area.
However, there is good news! By putting in a little time to complete various tasks, homeowners can avoid having to pay to fix problems that could have been prevented.
Here are 8 simple items you should check before winter weather hits your home.
## 1. Disconnect Garden Hoses and Protect Exterior Faucets
Winterizing outside water can help prevent one of the most common causes of plumbing damage in the winter.
Frozen and burst pipes are often the result of water left in exterior faucets, hoses left connected to outside faucets, and in the ground outside irrigation pipes.
**What to do:**
- Disconnect and drain all garden hoses.
- Drain and store hoses for the winter.
- Shut off and drain exterior water lines if they are equipped with dedicated shut-off valves inside the home.
- Check outdoor faucets for leaks or drips.
Even though it is a frost free hose bib it can still freeze if a hose is left connected to it.
## 2. Winterize Your Sprinkler System
Many areas experience hard freezes during the winter months and can cause significant damage to below grade irrigation lines, sprinkler heads and backflow prevention assemblies.
If you have an automatic sprinkler system at your home then proper winterization is required to protect your irrigation system from damage caused by freezing temperatures.
**What to do:**
- Schedule irrigation winterization before sustained freezing temperatures.
- Be sure to have a qualified professional blow out your system using the proper air pressure and volume.
- Protect exposed backflow prevention equipment.
- Follow the manufacturer's winterization recommendations.
Before the first snow falls, a hard freeze may occur which could cause damage to your system.
## 3. Clean Gutters and Check Downspouts
In many Front Range states, leaves fall in beautiful deciduous vaults. Those wonderful banks of color pose significant problems when they clog gutters and downspouts.
Overflowing water in clogged gutters can freeze and cause significant damage to your home’s siding, roof and even the foundation.
**What to do:**
- Remove leaves and debris from gutters.
- Check that downspouts are securely attached.
- Make sure water drains away from your foundation.
- Inspect gutters for sagging, separation, or leaks.
Proper drainage is especially important in Colorado during the freeze-thaw cycles.
## 4. Check Weatherstripping Around Doors and Windows
The small gaps around your doors and windows may allow cold air to pass through them, increasing your heating costs.
Check your weatherstripping for proper function.
**What to do:**
- Check for drafts around exterior doors and windows.
- Replace damaged or missing weatherstripping.
- Inspect door sweeps and thresholds.
- Seal appropriate gaps with exterior-rated caulk.
These small changes can add up to make a big difference to your comfort over the winter.
## 5. Test Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
The heating season is about to start, so we’ll review various hazards that can increase the risk of a fire, and also test the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors that will alert you to potential dangers.
This makes fall an ideal time to check your home's safety devices.
**What to do:**
- Test every smoke and carbon monoxide alarm.
- Replace batteries as needed.
- Check each detector's expiration or replacement date.
- Install the devices where required by code.
As there is no smell or color to carbon monoxide, detectors are among the most important items to ensure that they are working properly to protect against this deadly gas.
## 6. Locate Your Main Water Shutoff Valve
Frozen pipes burst in many unexpected areas of a home and can cause thousands of dollars of damage in a very short time. Know where to locate your home’s main water shutoff valve in case of a pipe break.
This is more common than you think and most homeowners have no idea where the main shutoff valve for their home is located.
**What to do:**
- Locate the main water shutoff valve.
- Make sure it's accessible.
- Learn how to operate it safely.
- Show other household members where it's located.
During a plumbing emergency, every minute matters.
## 7. Keep Furnace and Water-Heater Exhaust Vents Clear
Colorado has some unusual weather for home owners to deal with in the snow storms.
Most high-efficiency furnaces and water heaters are vented through a pipe extending from an exterior wall of your home. If snow or ice blocks the vent end of these pipes, the appliance can suffer damage and even cause dangerous exhaust gases to fill your home in the meantime.
**What to do:**
- Identify your heating equipment's exterior exhaust and intake vents.
- Inspect them after significant snowfall.
- Keep snow, ice, and debris away from vent openings.
- Never block or modify venting equipment.
If the venting of your furnace appears to have been affected by a recent storm, contact a qualified HVAC technician to diagnose any problems with the venting of your furnace.
## 8. Schedule Furnace and HVAC Maintenance
Few things are as disappointing as finding that your furnace is not working during the coldest part of winter.
A seasonal inspection helps identify potential problems before they force your heating system to run constantly.
**What to do:**
- Replace or clean furnace filters as recommended.
- Schedule professional HVAC maintenance.
- Check thermostat operation.
- Make sure supply and return vents are unobstructed.
Regular maintenance can help ensure your furnace is running safely, efficiently and reliably to help extend the life of your heating equipment.
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## Bonus Tip: Try the 5-Minute Driveway Test
Here's a simple home-maintenance trick we recommend.
Drive to the end of your driveway and then stand and look at your home as though you had never seen it before.
Pay attention to:
- **Roofline:** Are shingles missing, damaged, or noticeably uneven?
- **Gutters:** Do you see sagging sections or loose downspouts?
- **Walkways:** Are steps, handrails and deck surface solid?
- **Exterior lighting:** Is exterior lighting functional as the days get shorter?
- **Handrails:** Are steps, decks, and railings secure?
- **Grading:** Does the ground slope away from your foundation?
Most home owners look at problems on a daily basis and never even realize that there are more problems that they can fix. Only by stepping back and taking a longer look can you see what needs to be done to keep your home safe and sound.
## Buying a Home This Fall or Winter?
It’s still a great time to purchase a home in the Denver Metro area, as the fall and winter seasons are considered to be some of the best times to purchase a home.
Roofing, landscaping and exterior drainage features are often hidden under a blanket of snow during the winter months.
A home inspection by a qualified home inspector is important in any season when purchasing a home.
Whether buying a home in Arvada, Westminster, Broomfield or Golden, Jeff and Brooke’s knowledge of the home and the Front Range will help ensure that you are prepared for the home’s winter needs as well as have the information you need to make an informed decision.
## Local Expertise. Personal Service.
We are Jeff and Brooke Spiker, a father-daughter team representing Compass Real Estate in the Arvada, CO metro area and greater Denver, Colorado area.
As a father-daughter team of Colorado real estate experts, we are well-versed in the intricacies of buying and selling homes within this scenic Front Range region. We are experienced in the home maintenance required in specific seasons to add value to a home as well as prepare a home for sale.
Whether you are preparing your current home for winter, are trying to get your home ready for listing, or are looking to purchase a new home, we can help.
**Jeff Spiker | Broker Associate**
720-301-3334
jeff.spiker@compass.com
**Brooke Spiker | Broker Associate**
720-470-3452
brooke.spiker@compass.com
**Spiker Realty at Compass**
www.spikerrealty.com
*Helping Colorado homeowners make informed real estate decisions, one home at a time.*