Winterizing Your Home: Heating and Plumbing Checklist

Winter Ready Home Checklist for Heating and Plumbing

Cold weather can be hard on your home. A little care now can stop big problems later. This simple checklist helps your heat work well and keeps your pipes safe.

Why this matters

When your heater is clean, it runs better. When your pipes are protected, they are less likely to freeze. This can save money and stress.

Heating checklist for fall and winter

1 Change or clean your furnace filter

A dirty filter blocks air.

Your furnace works harder.

Check it once a month in winter.

2 Make sure vents are clear

Move boxes, rugs, and furniture away from vents.

Warm air needs space to flow.

3 Check your thermostat

Set it to a steady, safe temp.

Try not to turn it way up and down all day.

4 Listen for new sounds

Rattling, banging, or squealing can mean a problem.

If the sound is new, it is worth a quick call.

5 Look at the furnace area

Keep the space around the furnace clear.

Do not store paint, gas cans, or clutter near it.

6 Test your carbon monoxide alarm

Press the test button.

If it does not beep, change the battery.

If you do not have one, add one.

Rimbey Plumbing and heating

Rimbey Plumbing and heating

Plumbing checklist for cold weather

1 Find your main water shut off

Know where it is before you need it.

Make sure it turns on and off.

2 Protect outdoor taps

Shut off the outside water line if you have a valve inside.

Open the outdoor tap to drain any water left inside.

Put on a tap cover.

3 Check for small leaks

Look under sinks.

Check around toilets.

A tiny drip can turn into a bigger leak.

4 Keep warm air near pipes

Open a cabinet door under the sink on very cold nights.

This helps warm air reach the pipes.

5 Keep a slow drip during extreme cold

If it is very, very cold, a small trickle can help.

Moving water is less likely to freeze.

6 Know the signs of a frozen pipe

Little or no water from a tap.

Frost on a pipe.

Odd smells from a drain.

When to call a pro

Call if your heat will not start.

Call if your home has cold rooms all the time.

Call if you smell gas or feel dizzy, leave the home and get help right away.

Call if a pipe is frozen, leaking, or has burst.

Call if your drains keep backing up.

A simple schedule you can follow

Every month in winter: check the furnace filter and alarms.

Before the first big freeze: protect outdoor taps and check for leaks.

Any time: if something sounds, smells, or looks wrong, get it checked.

Final tip

Pick one day this week and do this list. Most steps take only a few minutes. Your home will feel warmer, safer, and ready for winter.

For more simple, homeowner friendly heating and plumbing guides, visit our Heating and Plumbing Help Hub.