How Do I Winterize a New Ohio Home?
A fall checklist for a Northeast Ohio winter, including the things new homeowners miss.
A new home handles winter better than an older one, but it still needs a fall routine. Northeast Ohio winters bring freeze-thaw cycles, ice dams, heavy snow loads and long stretches of very dry indoor air.
Before the first hard freeze
- Shut off and drain exterior hose bibs. Disconnect every hose. A hose left connected to a frost-free bib is one of the most common causes of a burst pipe, because it prevents the bib from draining.
- Blow out irrigation, if you have it.
- Clean the gutters, after the leaves are down. Clogged gutters are the leading contributor to ice dams.
- Check downspout discharge. Water should be moving well away from the foundation, and discharge points shouldn't be where they'll freeze into a sheet at your walkway.
- Verify grading falls away from the house all the way around. Soil settles in year one and can reverse the slope.
Mechanical
- Service the furnace and replace the filter
- Locate the exterior high-efficiency furnace intake and exhaust and keep them clear of snow all winter. A drift over these will shut the furnace down, and it always happens on the coldest night
- Test the sump pump. Pour a bucket in and confirm it runs and discharges. Consider a battery backup
- Confirm the sump discharge line is clear and not freezing
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
- Know where your main water shutoff is, before you need it in the dark
Envelope
- Check weatherstripping on exterior doors, including the garage entry
- Check the garage door bottom seal
- Reverse ceiling fans to run clockwise on low, pushing warm air down
- Close foundation vents if your construction has them
Ice dams
Ice dams form when heat escaping into the attic melts snow on the roof, which then refreezes at the cold eave and backs water up under the shingles. Prevention is about attic insulation, air sealing and ventilation rather than about the roof itself, which is one more reason envelope quality matters in a new build. If you see large icicles forming along the eaves, that's the symptom. See insulation and efficiency.
Indoor humidity
Winter heating dries indoor air severely, which is hard on wood floors, trim and doors, and on you. Aim for a moderate humidity level, and back it off if you see persistent condensation on the windows, which means it's too high for the outdoor temperature.
Snow and salt
Be careful with de-icers on new concrete, since some products damage concrete that hasn't fully cured. Sand is a safe alternative for traction in the first winter. And keep salt-laden boots on tile rather than hardwood. See flooring choices and year-one maintenance.