Winter Home Prep in Canada

Outside the house

• Clean eavestroughs and downspouts. A blocked downspout is how ice dams form.
• Extend downspouts at least 1.5 m away from the foundation.
• Drain, coil, and store garden hoses. Shut off and drain outdoor taps.
• Cut back tree branches within 3 m of the roof.
• Rake leaves off lawns and out of window wells.
• Bring in patio furniture, cushions, planters, and hoses.
• Winterize sprinkler systems (blow-out with compressed air).
• Service the snowblower; check the shovel, salt, and ice melt supply.

Heating system

• Book an annual furnace inspection in September or early October (later, techs are booked solid).
• Replace the furnace filter. Set a reminder to change it every 60–90 days through winter.
• Bleed radiators if you have hot-water heat.
• Have chimneys and wood stoves swept if you burn wood.
• Change smoke and CO alarm batteries; test each unit.
• Reverse ceiling fans to clockwise (pushes warm air down).

Keep vents clear of snow

This is the one job that keeps getting skipped and it's the one with the safety risk attached.

• Find your furnace's intake and exhaust vents — on a high-efficiency furnace these are usually PVC pipes low on an exterior wall, not a chimney.
• After every snowfall, clear snow and ice away from those vents before running the furnace. A blocked exhaust can trip a safety shutoff or push exhaust back into the house.
• If you have a power-vented (high-efficiency) water heater, it likely vents separately — check and clear that one too.
• Keep at least 30 cm (12 in) clear around every exterior vent, more once a drift starts forming against that wall.
• The dryer vent has the same blockage risk with a different symptom — a dryer that suddenly takes two cycles to dry a load.

Plumbing and water

• Shut off water to outdoor faucets and open the outdoor valve to drain.
• Insulate pipes in unheated crawlspaces, garages, and along exterior walls.
• Locate the main water shutoff. Every adult in the house should know where it is.
• Set the thermostat to at least 13°C (55°F) if you'll be away for more than a day.
• Consider a smart water leak sensor near the washing machine and hot water tank.

Windows, doors, and roof

• Replace worn weatherstripping on doors and windows.
• Caulk gaps where wires and pipes enter the house.
• Install storm windows or interior window film.
• Inspect the roof for lifted shingles, cracked flashing, and vent boots.
• Check attic insulation depth — target R-50 for most of Canada.
• Add draft stoppers to attic hatches, basement doors, and any dryer vent that leaks.

Boat, RV, and shed

• Boat: fog the engine or stabilize the fuel, drain every water system completely, disconnect or trickle-charge the battery, and cover it. Water left in the system is what actually causes expensive freeze damage.
• RV or travel trailer: drain the fresh, grey, and black tanks, then run RV antifreeze through every line and trap. Cover the tires so UV and freeze-thaw don't crack the sidewalls.
• Shed: clear the roof before snow load builds, check the door seal, and move anything that can freeze and crack — paint, garden chemicals, canned goods — into a heated space.
• Pool house or cabana: winterize its plumbing the same way you winterize the main house, and bring pool chemicals indoors.

Winter emergency kit

• 72 hours of water (4 L per person per day) and non-perishable food.
• Battery lantern, flashlight, and spare batteries.
• Wool blankets, extra warm layers, and hand warmers.
• Backup phone charger (USB battery pack).
• Wood-burning fireplace or a safe portable heater — never a barbecue or generator indoors.
• Ice scraper, shovel, and salt in every vehicle.
• Printed list of key contacts (hydro outage line, plumber, neighbours).