Winterproof your home: how to prep for the cold

AccuWeather's Ali Reid shares how you can prepare your home for the winter

Transcript

00:00Well, as temperatures drop, now is the time for homeowners to get ahead of the cold,

00:06from frozen pipes to clogged gutters and heat loss. How fun. Simple steps taken early can

00:11prevent expensive damage later. Our Allie Reed is live from Hainesport, New Jersey this morning

00:18with what you should do, or you should be doing right now to winter-proof your home.

00:24How's everything going this morning, Allie?

00:26Well, good morning, Bernie and Ari. It's cold and I'm sick. Does that tell you enough? It's

00:33wintertime, I think, or it's certainly getting closer to that. The temperatures this morning

00:38certainly feeling like it should be winter at this point already here in Hainesport, New Jersey.

00:43But we're talking all about winterizing your home, and it's not just about staying warm. This is about

00:49protecting your home, taking the right steps to really protect your home as you are getting into

00:54those colder months. I had the opportunity to speak to State Farm. They gave some really great

00:58advice on what you should be doing now to stay proactive ahead of those colder months. I want

01:03to take this some video. This kind of paints a better picture, explains what you can be doing

01:08for yourself. Experts say the first thing is start indoors, right? Have your furnace or heating system

01:14inspected, as it can help prevent breakdowns and reduce your risk of carbon monoxide issues.

01:19Another big one here is going to be insulation. Heat rises. So if your attic isn't properly

01:26insulated, you could be losing a huge amount of warmth straight through the roof. State Farm says

01:32ceiling leaks can make an immediate difference in keeping heat inside and cold air out. And pipes

01:38remain one of the most common and costly winter claims. To avoid pipes bursting, insulate any lines

01:45running through crawl spaces, basements or along exterior walls. And when temperatures plunge,

01:52let faucets drip and open cabinet doors so warm air can reach those vulnerable areas. Outside your home,

01:58clear gutters, trim back branches and disconnect garden hoses. And because winter storms can knock

02:03out power with little warning, experts say your emergency kit should be stocked and ready long before you need

02:08it. Assemble your emergency kit really early on in the season, you know, packed with flashlights,

02:15batteries, water, non-perishable food, blankets. Unforeseen storms and severe inclement weather can

02:23happen really quickly and can escalate really quickly as well. Winterizing your home is really

02:28a critical step to really, I think, protecting your property, your possessions as we kind of begin to

02:34kind of ramp up into the holiday season and sort of inclement weather.

02:40State Farm says storm windows, weather stripping and smart thermostats can also help improve energy

02:45efficiency and reduce your heating bill through the coldest months. Following real-time warnings through

02:50AccuWeather, especially for extreme temperatures, snow and high winds can help you act fast before damage

02:57occurs. Now, the sooner you prepare, ultimately, it's going to help you get to that positive outcome

03:04here. Again, we've seen so many scenarios when we are dealing with that severe weather. Maybe it's

03:09really, really intense wind. Maybe it's a crazy snowstorm. And yes, we've already seen the snow

03:15come in certain portions of the country a little bit last night at Lincoln Financial. Did you guys watch

03:21the Eagles game? Anyway, all of that to say, stay proactive, be prepared. That'll help you as you

03:28move forward, guys. Go birds. You said something about the Eagles game, I think. Ali, we hope you

03:33feel better reporting out there this morning in the cold, but a lovely shot and helpful tips. I was

03:39taking some notes over here. Yep. Make sure you have everything ready. Could save you some money. And who

03:43doesn't like that?