How can I prepare my NJ home for the winter season?

One of the biggest responsibilities homeowners have is keeping up with property maintenance and ensuring that all of their home’s systems are working their best. And as temperatures begin to drop, this all becomes that much more important.

To make sure your home stays warm and safe this winter season, it’s time to take some preventative measures to prepare your property for the change in weather.

Jessica Edmondson, director of data journalism at Insurify, said keeping up with home maintenance between seasons is particularly important because it’ll keep you from running into bigger, and more costly, problems down the road. She said you should also keep in mind that home doesn’t typically cover things like flooding from storms or melting snow, so not keeping up with these things could result in you paying out of pocket for repairs.

“I think we’ve seen that a lot of people don’t understand that home insurance does not cover flood surges and storm surges,” Edmondson said. “However, if you have a flood because of a pipe bursting or because your sink overflows, that is covered by home insurance.”

She said those who keep up with home maintenance may also be able to get lower home insurance rates for their property. This is because they are reducing hazards, and therefore the risk of damage, around their home.

So if you need some tips for getting your property in tip-top shape this winter, we’ve got you covered. Here are 10 ways to get your North Jersey home ready for winter:

Get your chimney inspected and swept

The National Fire Protection Association recommends that homeowners get their chimney cleaned once a year, so doing so before the winter season arrives will ensure its ready to go once it gets cold.

Depending on the type of chimney and fireplace you have, as well as how often you use it, you may need to have it cleaned regularly during the season as well. The Chimney Safety Institute of America recommends that masonry fireplaces be swept when there’s one-eighth of an inch of soot buildup, while factory-built fireplaces should be swept whenever there’s any appreciable buildup.

Overall, getting your chimney inspected and swept regularly will ensure that there is never an excessive buildup of creosote and therefore will reduce your risk of chimney fires. This will also ensure that the chimney has proper airflow and that hazardous gases, like carbon monoxide, will escape the chimney properly rather than flowing down into the home.

Get firewood

After you get your chimney prepped for use this winter, be sure to stock up on enough firewood to last you for the season. Hardwoods like oak, maple, hickory, ash and birch are typically considered the best types of wood for burning because they are more dense and therefore burn for longer periods of time than softwoods, according to Jersey Firewood.

Firewood should also be seasoned — stored and dried — for about a year before use. This will reduce the amount of moisture in the wood and ensure it burns more efficiently, producing more heat and less smoke.

Set ceiling fans to spin clockwise

The direction your ceiling fan rotates actually makes an impact on how the air in your home flows. Experts at places like Hunter Fan Company suggest setting the fans in your home to spin clockwise during the winter season. This is because doing so will create an updraft and recirculate warm air into the living space, improving the room’s temperature and minimizing heating costs.

To change the direction that your fan rotates, locate the fan switch — either on the body of the fan or within the fan’s light fixture — while it is turned off and at a complete stop. Then simply make sure it is switched to spin clockwise, and you’re ready to go.

Get your gutters cleaned and repaired

It is recommended that homeowners clean their home’s gutters at least twice a year, in early spring and fall, according to All Season Gutters. But if you haven’t been following this schedule and your gutters are in need of some TLC, you should consider doing so before the winter officially starts.

Failing to make sure your gutters are free of debris could result in water overflowing and pooling around your home’s foundation, causing serious water damage, basement flooding, foundation cracks and mold growth. Additionally, a full gutter can also result in debris making its way into underground drains and clogging them, which can also lead to water overflow and foundation damage.

Get your roof inspected and repaired

Ahead of the winter season, it’s important to check whether your roof is in need of maintenance to avoid the possibility of structural issues and water damage as the weather becomes more cold and damp.

You can check for any water stains on your ceilings or signs of moisture in your attic to determine if there are any leaks in your roof. You can also schedule an appointment to have a local professional check for shingles that are missing, loose or showing other signs of damage and to check for any damage to the roof’s flashing, which is located along the intersections of the roof.

Doing this will ensure that your roof is in the best shape to properly direct water off of your home and prevent it from causing damage, or give yourself the opportunity to address any problems with your roof before the season officially arrives.

Check for hazardous tree limbs and branches

A tree or an oversized branch falling on your house, or on your neighbor’s house, can be a dangerous and expensive situation. So before we get into the height of winter, when heavy snow will make weak branches more likely to fall, take some time to remove any that could be a hazard.

To determine whether a particular tree or branch needs to be removed, you can look for things like splits and cracks, root damage or abnormal leaning. And if you’re unsure just how much of a risk a particular tree or branch is, you can always have it evaluated by a professional tree inspector to be safe.

Check your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors

Between natural gas and oil furnaces, electric baseboard heaters, wood burning stoves, pellet stoves and space heaters, to name a few, there are many different types of heat sources that could cause a fire or the release of carbon monoxide during the winter season.

So before it’s officially time to start running these heat sources on a regular basis, check all of your home’s smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they are functioning properly and have fresh batteries. This way, you know they will be ready to detect any smoke or fumes if one of these systems were to malfunction.

Clean your HVAC system filter

If your home has an HVAC system, be sure to check the quality of the filter before turning the heat on for the winter to prevent debris from clogging the system and improve the air quality in your home.

When doing this, check the filter’s expiration date and look for any physical damage, such as holes, to know if it needs to be replaced. If the filter is in good condition and just needs a good cleaning, you can vacuum any dust and debris off the filter, rinse it thoroughly with hot water and let it dry completely before putting it back.

Winterize outdoor water sources

Just about every home comes with an outdoor water faucet, and many properties have some sort of sprinkler system in place to keep their lawn hydrated. Before the season is in full swing, it’s important to winterize these water sources to prevent water from freezing in your home’s pipes and therefore keeping them from bursting.

To do this, you can turn off the water supply to these systems, disconnect any hoses or fittings that are attached to the faucets and drain any remaining water out of the pipes. Or you can hire a local professional to winterize these systems for you.

Get your snow supplies ready

To get ahead of that first snowfall, be sure to pull out all of your snow supplies or restock your inventory. This includes things like shovels, snow blowers and sidewalk salt to keep your walking paths and sidewalks free of snow and ice, as well as items like flashlights, portable space heaters and extra blankets in the event that there’s a heavy snowstorm.

Maddie McGay is the real estate reporter for NorthJersey.com and The Record, covering all things worth celebrating about living in North Jersey. Find her on Instagram @maddiemcgay, on X @maddiemcgayy, and sign up for her North Jersey Living newsletter. Do you have a tip, trend or terrific house she should know about? Email her at MMcGay@gannett.com.