What Iowa Homeowners Should Do Before the First Freeze
Fall in Iowa can change quickly. One week you're enjoying warm afternoons and open windows, and the next you're waking up to frost on the ground.
Before temperatures dip below freezing, there are a few things Iowa homeowners should take care of around the house. A little preventative maintenance now can help protect your home from frozen pipes, water damage and other expensive winter surprises.
If you own a home in Ankeny or elsewhere in Central Iowa, add these tasks to your fall home maintenance list before the first freeze.
1. Disconnect Your Garden Hoses
This is one of the easiest—and most important—things to do before freezing temperatures arrive.
Disconnect garden hoses from exterior faucets, drain the hoses completely and store them for winter.
Leaving a hose attached can prevent water from properly draining and increase the risk of freezing and damage to the faucet or connected plumbing.
If your home has an interior shutoff valve supplying an exterior faucet, shut off the water and drain the line as appropriate for your home's plumbing.
The City of Ankeny specifically recommends disconnecting outside hoses and protecting exterior water lines before freezing weather arrives.
2. Winterize Your Irrigation System
Have an underground sprinkler system? Don't forget about it when you're preparing your home for winter.
Water left inside irrigation components can freeze and potentially cause damage.
Follow the winterization recommendations for your particular system or have it professionally winterized if necessary.
Iowa State University Extension also recommends draining irrigation systems and rain barrels as part of fall home preparation.
3. Clean Out Your Gutters
Once most of the leaves have fallen, take some time to clean leaves and debris out of your gutters and make sure your downspouts are clear.
Your gutters need to move rain and melting snow away from your house.
Clogged gutters can cause water to back up instead of draining properly. Once temperatures drop, freezing water can also contribute to ice buildup and moisture problems.
While you're cleaning, check for loose sections, leaks or other areas that may need attention before winter.
4. Check Your Furnace
You don't want to discover that your furnace isn't working properly on the first truly cold Iowa night.
Turn your heat on before you actually need it and make sure the system appears to be operating correctly.
This is also a good time to replace or check your furnace filter and schedule routine maintenance if it's due.
Regular furnace maintenance and filter changes can help keep the system operating efficiently throughout the heating season.
5. Check Windows and Exterior Doors for Drafts
Walk around your home and pay attention to windows and exterior doors.
Can you feel air coming through? Is weather stripping missing or damaged? Are there obvious gaps that need to be sealed?
Caulking and weather stripping can help keep cold air outside and warm air inside, which can make your home more comfortable during an Iowa winter. Ready Iowa also recommends insulation, caulking and weather stripping as part of preparing a home for winter weather.
6. Protect Pipes in Colder Areas of Your Home
Not every pipe inside your house is exposed to the same temperatures.
Pay extra attention to plumbing located in:
Garages
Basements
Crawl spaces
Attics
Exterior walls
Cabinets along exterior walls
Other unheated or poorly insulated spaces
These are some of the areas where pipes can be more vulnerable to freezing.
If necessary, consider adding appropriate pipe insulation and sealing openings that allow cold air to reach plumbing.
The City of Ankeny recommends insulating vulnerable pipes and keeping garage doors closed when water supply lines run through the garage.
7. Find Your Main Water Shutoff
Do you know how to shut off the water to your house?
If the answer is no, find out before you need it.
If a pipe bursts or another plumbing emergency occurs, knowing where your main water shutoff is—and how to operate it—can help you respond quickly.
Make sure other adults in your household know where it is too.
8. Check Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
As you start using your furnace, fireplace and other heating equipment more frequently, fall is a good time to check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Test your detectors and replace batteries when needed.
Ready Iowa recommends installing and testing smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors with battery backups as part of winter home preparation.
9. Prepare Your Fireplace and Chimney
If cozy nights by the fireplace are part of your winter routine, make sure it's ready before you light the first fire of the season.
Wood-burning fireplaces and chimneys should be inspected and cleaned as appropriate. Creosote and other buildup inside a chimney can create a fire hazard.
If you aren't sure when yours was last inspected, consider having it evaluated by a qualified professional before using it.
10. Take a Look at Your Roof
You don't necessarily need to climb onto the roof to give it a quick visual inspection.
From the ground, look for obvious signs of damage, missing or damaged shingles, loose materials or anything else that looks unusual.
If you notice something concerning, fall gives you an opportunity to have it inspected before snow, ice and freezing temperatures make exterior repairs more difficult.
11. Prepare Your Outdoor Spaces
Walk around your yard and take care of the things you don't want to deal with after temperatures drop.
Depending on your home, that might include:
Bringing patio furniture or cushions inside
Covering or storing outdoor furniture
Emptying planters
Bringing sensitive potted plants indoors
Putting away garden tools
Preparing lawn equipment for winter storage
Draining rain barrels
Cleaning up leaves and debris
For plants you're hoping to protect from an early frost or freeze, Iowa State University Extension recommends watching overnight forecasts beginning in mid-to-late September and taking action when lows start reaching the mid-30s.
12. Get Ready for Snow Before It Snows
Don't wait until the first snowstorm to remember that your snow shovel broke last February.
Take inventory of your winter supplies now.
Make sure you know where your:
Snow shovels
Ice melt
Snow blower
Scrapers
Gloves
Extension cords or other winter equipment
are stored.
If you use a snow blower, fall is a good time to make sure it's ready to go.
Going Out of Town This Winter? Don't Turn the Heat Off
If you're traveling during the winter, don't completely turn off your heat.
The City of Ankeny recommends keeping the heat set to at least 55°F if you leave the water on while you're away.
You may also want to have someone check on the house during an extended absence, particularly during periods of extreme cold.
Your Iowa Fall Home Maintenance Checklist
Before freezing temperatures arrive, make sure you've taken care of the big items:
Disconnect hoses. Winterize irrigation. Clean the gutters. Check the furnace. Seal drafts. Protect vulnerable pipes. Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Prepare your fireplace. Inspect the exterior. Put away outdoor items. And get your snow equipment ready.
You don't have to accomplish everything in one weekend. Start checking things off your list while the weather is still comfortable, and you'll be much better prepared when Iowa winter arrives.
Owning a Home in Ankeny, Iowa
Homeownership doesn't end at the closing table. Maintaining your home throughout the year can help protect one of your biggest investments—and prevent smaller maintenance issues from becoming larger repairs.
The Hokel Real Estate Team helps homeowners, buyers and sellers throughout Ankeny and the surrounding Des Moines metro.
Whether you're thinking about buying your first home, wondering what your current home is worth or planning a future move, we're always happy to be a local real estate resource.
Have questions about buying or selling a home in Ankeny? Contact the Hokel Real Estate Team.