6 Tips to Winterize Your Home in DFW
As I am updating this post on January 11, 2024, I am looking out my window at a beautiful sunny day in north Texas with temperatures nearing 70 degrees. However, all available weather forecasts are predicting a drastic change coming in the next few days. Temps are expected to drop below freezing on Saturday afternoon and not return above freezing until Wednesday. Forecasters are predicting single digit temps for at least one of the nights.
This brings up the question of how to prepare your home for sub-freezing weather. While the Dallas/Ft. Worth area doesn't generally see many days where the high temperature is below freezing, it does happen sometimes. Unlike other parts of the country that winterize in the fall knowing that lots of cold weather is ahead, folks in DFW usually don't think about protecting their homes from extreme cold until the cold actually shows up.
In this post, we will look at six ways you can protect your home from sub-freezing weather in north Texas.
Have Your Heating System Checked and Serviced
Here in DFW, we don't run our heaters near as much as we do our air conditioners, but it's still a good idea to have a professional take a look at your system to ensure it is running smoothly and safely. Naturally, you don't want to turn your heater on when the temps drop only to discover it isn't working. But, you also don't want to run the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning due to a poorly performing heat system.(NOTE: This assumes you have gas heat. Electric heaters generally do not pose a carbon monoxide risk.) Carbon monoxide is a colorless odorless gas that is a by-product of burning fossil fuels such as natural gas. Carbon Monoxide is highly toxic to people, often overcoming a person in just a few minutes without any warning, so be sure to have your system checked and serviced regularly.
Protect Your Pipes
Most of us don't have to worry much about this in our area, but if your home has pipes that might be exposed to the frigid temps, make sure they are wrapped and insulated. The now infamous winter storm Uri in February 2021 laid bare (literally) the need to protect pipes. Many homes that had gone years without any problems suddenly had pipes bursting from the extreme cold.
First, walk around the exterior of your home and see if you find any pipes that are directly exposed to the air. If so, wrap it with foam or thick cloth. Next, open the cabinet doors under any interior faucet that is on an exterior wall of the house. It's also a good idea to leave those faucets dripping just a little.
If you are aware of pipes running through exterior walls, you might also need to run space heaters in those areas. At our house, we have a wall that contains the pipe carrying water to the backyard faucet. Unfortunately, it got so cold during Uri that the pipe burst even though it was inside the wall. Now we know that when it gets down into the single digit temperatures, we have to run a space heater near that wall.
Have Your Chimney and Fireplace Inspected and Cleaned
If you have a wood-burning fireplace that you use frequently, you should have it checked and cleaned at least every 3 years. Doing so can reduce the risk of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning. If you haven't had it cleaned in a while, you can take a mirror and a flashlight and peer up into the flue to see if there is creosote buildup. You also want to make sure the damper works properly.
Disconnect Water Hoses
When temps dip well below freezing, a faucet with a water hose that is connected is at risk of bursting. While light freezes should not pose a risk, hard freezes can cause the hose bib to burst if a hose has been left attached. Make sure you disconnect any hoses attached to outdoor faucets.
Seal Cracks and Openings Around Doors and Windows
Walk around the exterior walls of your house and see if you feel cold air coming in around your doors and windows. If you feel a draft, apply fresh caulk to any cracks or openings you see.
This also brings up the point of having good quality windows in your home. Purchasing new windows for your entire home can be quite expensive, but good quality windows do a much better job at keeping the cold air out (and the hot air out in the summer) than some of the lesser quality windows. If your windows are old and the original builder-grade windows that came with the house, it might be worth considering replacing some or all of them.
Test All Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
As I mentioned previously, carbon monoxide poisoning is one of the primary winter-time risks of being a homeowner. And, with lots of folks using fires to stay warm, the risk of house fires also goes up in colder weather. Make sure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are in good working order. You should walk around and test each one to ensure that it functions properly at least monthly.
Conclusion
While extreme cold is a rarity in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, it can happen, and when it does, it pays to be prepared. By following these six tips, you can ensure that your home is safe and warm all winter long in north Texas.