Home Maintenance
Winterize Your Home Exterior: A Cincinnati Checklist
To winterize your home's exterior, work through seven items: clean and secure the gutters, shut off and drain outdoor faucets, fix low spots in the grading, seal gaps in siding and around pipes and wires, trim trees, clear the vents, and tighten up doors and windows. Most of it is a weekend of work. In the Cincinnati area, aim to finish by early November.
This list covers the whole outside of the house. For the roof itself, use our fall roof checklist. For indoor plumbing, see how to prevent frozen pipes.
When should you winterize in Cincinnati?
Start now. The National Weather Service office in Wilmington lists October 25 as the normal first 32°F reading at the Cincinnati airport, and in one year out of ten it comes by October 12 (NWS Wilmington fall frost and freeze data). NOAA's 1991-2020 normals show about 13 nights at or below freezing at the airport in November (NOAA monthly normals).
Some jobs, like caulking and grading, are easier before the cold sets in. Others, like the last gutter cleaning, need to wait until the leaves are down.
The winterizing checklist
| Item | What to do | Best timing |
|---|---|---|
| Gutters and downspouts | Clean, check hangers, add extensions | After most leaves fall |
| Outdoor faucets and hoses | Disconnect hoses, shut off and drain faucets | Before the first hard freeze |
| Irrigation lines | Drain per the installer's directions | Before the first hard freeze |
| Grading | Fill low spots so water runs away from the house | Before the ground freezes |
| Siding and penetrations | Seal gaps around pipes, wires, and vents | On a dry, mild day |
| Trees and woodpiles | Trim limbs over the house, move firewood away | Any time before snow |
| Vents | Clear dryer, attic, and crawl space vents | Before the furnace runs all day |
| Doors and windows | Replace worn weatherstripping and failed caulk | On a dry, mild day |
1. Gutters and downspouts
Gutters matter more in winter than most people think. The Insurance Information Institute says to keep gutters free of leaves and debris so melting snow and ice can flow, because ice dams can push water into the house.
- Clean the gutters after most of the leaves have fallen. On wooded lots, that may mean cleaning twice.
- Run water through each downspout to make sure it drains.
- Check that hangers are tight. Ice is heavy, and loose gutters sag or pull off.
- Make sure downspout extensions carry water away from the foundation.
Our guide on when to clean gutters in the fall covers timing. If gutters are sagging or leaking at the seams, see our gutter guide.
2. Outdoor faucets, hoses, and irrigation
Disconnect every garden hose. The American Red Cross says to close the inside valve that feeds each outdoor faucet, open the outside faucet to drain it, and leave it open. Drain sprinkler and pool lines the way the installer says to.
Our frozen pipes guide covers the indoor side.
3. Grading and the foundation
Walk around the house and look at the soil next to the foundation. It should slope away from the house on every side. Settling and erosion over the summer can leave low spots where water pools.
Fill low spots with soil, not mulch, and pack it down. Do it before the ground freezes. Water that pools against the foundation in winter freezes and thaws over and over. Our spring exterior checklist explains grading and siding clearance in more detail.
4. Siding gaps and penetrations
Cold air, water, and mice all look for the same gaps. The CDC says mice can fit through a hole the width of a pencil, about 1/4 inch. It lists places to check outside:
- Around windows and doors, especially those without weatherstripping
- Between the foundation and the ground
- Around attic and crawl space vents
- Around holes for electrical, plumbing, cable, and gas lines
- In the roof among the rafters, gables, eaves, and soffits
The CDC suggests filling small holes with steel wool held in place with caulk or spray foam. Larger holes need metal, hardware cloth, or cement.
While you are looking, check the siding itself. Look for cracked or loose vinyl panels, gaps at corners, soft spots in wood siding, and failed caulk at trim and windows. IBHS also recommends that homeowners caulk and seal cracks and gaps on the outside of the house before winter. Check the caulk label for the temperature range it can go on in. Our guide to siding repair or replacement explains how temperature swings wear siding down.
5. Trees, limbs, and woodpiles
The Insurance Information Institute warns that ice can load tree limbs and that dead or damaged branches may break and fall on your house, car, or someone walking by. Trim limbs over the roof, the driveway, and the walkways now. Call your utility about limbs near power lines.
Move the firewood. The CDC recommends keeping woodpiles 100 feet or more from the house and at least one foot off the ground. A woodpile against the siding is a home for mice and holds moisture against the wall.
6. Vents
- Dryer vent. Clean out lint and make sure the outside flap opens and closes.
- Attic and soffit vents. Clear leaves and nests. Make sure screens are intact.
- Crawl space vents. Check screens. Follow your builder's or HVAC contractor's advice on whether to close them in winter.
- Furnace and water heater vents. Keep the outside openings clear of leaves and, later, snow.
7. Doors and windows
Ready.gov tells homeowners to prepare the home to keep out the cold with insulation, caulking, and weatherstripping. Close each door and look for daylight around the edges. Replace weatherstripping that is torn or flat. Re-caulk exterior window and door trim where the old caulk has cracked or pulled away.
If you have a storm door, swap in the glass panel. Keep the garage door closed in cold weather, especially if water lines run through the garage.
One more look at the roof
Give the roof one last look from the ground after the leaves are down. Check for missing shingles, debris in valleys, and limbs on the roof. Our fall roof checklist has the full list. If you have had ice dams before, read our ice dam guide before the first snow.
How Shamrock can help
If your checklist turns up loose gutters, damaged siding, or roof problems, we can help. Shamrock repairs and replaces seamless gutters, siding, and roofs across Northern Cincinnati. We give free estimates with photos of what we find. Request a free estimate.
FAQ
When should I winterize my home in Cincinnati? Start in mid-October and finish most items by early November. The normal first freeze at the Cincinnati airport is around October 25, per the National Weather Service.
Can I caulk in cold weather? Some caulks can go on in cool weather and some cannot. Check the label for the temperature range, and caulk on a dry day.
Should I clean my gutters before or after the leaves fall? After most of the leaves are down. On lots with many trees, plan on two cleanings: one in mid-fall and one after the last leaves drop.
Do I need to cover my outdoor faucets? Shutting off the inside valve and draining the faucet is the main step. An insulated faucet cover adds some protection, especially on older faucets that are not frost-proof.