Getting Your Vermont Home Ready for Winter: A Practical Checklist
A little preparation in the fall can make a Vermont winter much easier on your home. Before freezing temperatures settle in, take time to check the systems that keep your house warm, dry, and protected.
You do not need to tackle everything in one weekend. Start by scheduling any professional services, then work through the smaller projects as time allows. Here are the areas worth prioritizing.
Protect Your Pipes and Outdoor Faucets
Disconnect, drain, and store garden hoses before freezing weather arrives. Even frost-free outdoor faucets need hoses removed so water can drain properly. If your exterior faucets have indoor shutoff valves, close and drain them according to your system’s instructions.
Check for exposed water pipes in unheated basements, crawlspaces, and garages. Have vulnerable areas evaluated before cold weather becomes a problem. If you have an irrigation system, schedule its winter shutdown.
This is also a good time to locate your main water shutoff and make sure everyone in the household knows where it is.
Give Your Heating System Some Attention
Schedule heating service before you are relying on the system every day. Follow the recommended maintenance schedule for your furnace, boiler, or heat pump, and clean or replace filters as directed.
For heat pumps, keep the outdoor unit clear of leaves and allow room for snow clearance. If you heat with oil or propane, confirm your delivery arrangements and keep access to the tank or fill pipe clear throughout winter.
Have fireplaces, wood stoves, and chimneys inspected before use, with cleaning completed as needed.
Check the Roof, Gutters, and Drainage
Once most of the leaves have fallen, clear gutters and downspouts. Make sure water drains away from the foundation rather than collecting beside the house.
From the ground, look for missing shingles, damaged flashing, or branches hanging over the roof. Leave roof access and overhead tree work to qualified professionals.
If your home has a history of ice dams, gutter cleaning alone will not solve the problem. Heat escaping into the attic can contribute to snow melting and refreezing at the roof edge. A qualified contractor can help identify needed air sealing, insulation, or ventilation improvements.
Close Up Drafts
Check exterior doors and windows for worn weatherstripping, loose seals, and noticeable drafts. Replace door sweeps where needed, close storm windows, and check the attic hatch.
If certain rooms are consistently cold or your heating bills seem unusually high, consider a professional energy assessment to help prioritize improvements.
Prepare for Snow and Power Outages
Arrange snow removal, mark driveway edges, and put shovels and ice melt somewhere accessible. Store outdoor furniture and planters that could be damaged by freezing weather.
Inside, test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and check their replacement dates. Clean the dryer vent and restock flashlights, batteries, drinking water, and other outage supplies.
If you have a generator, follow its service schedule and operating instructions. Portable generators must operate outdoors, at least 20 feet from doors, windows, and vents, with exhaust directed away from buildings.
Your Vermont Winter Preparation Checklist
Water and Plumbing
- Disconnect, drain, and store garden hoses.
- Shut off and drain exterior water lines where applicable.
- Schedule irrigation winterization.
- Check exposed pipes in unheated areas.
- Locate the main water shutoff.
- Test the sump pump, if applicable, and check its discharge route.
Heating
- Schedule recommended heating system service.
- Clean or replace filters as directed.
- Clear leaves and debris around outdoor heat pump units.
- Confirm oil or propane delivery arrangements.
- Schedule a chimney and wood stove inspection, with cleaning as needed.
Roof, Gutters, and Exterior
- Clean gutters and downspouts after the leaves fall.
- Check that downspouts direct water away from the foundation.
- Look for visible roof or flashing damage from the ground.
- Have concerning branches evaluated by a tree professional.
- Address recurring ice dams with a qualified contractor.
Windows, Doors, and Yard
- Replace worn weatherstripping and door sweeps.
- Close storm windows and check the attic hatch.
- Check for water collecting beside the foundation.
- Store outdoor furniture and freeze-sensitive planters.
- Mark driveway edges and arrange snow removal.
- Keep plow equipment and vehicles off septic system areas.
Safety and Outages
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
- Check alarm replacement dates.
- Clean the dryer vent through to the exterior.
- Service and test the generator according to its instructions.
- Stock flashlights, batteries, drinking water, and outage supplies.
- If traveling, arrange home checks and a plan for monitoring heat.
