KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Preparing your home for winter weather may not be at the top of your priority list right now, but staff with Knoxville-Knox County Emergency Management say you should take it seriously sooner rather than later.
Cold weather, snow, and ice can cause real damage to your home and your pockets. 10News spoke with Knox County EMA operations officer Sarah DeLozier and she shared some easy tips you can follow to protect your home ahead of winter weather:
1. Protect your pipes from freezing. You can do so by opening the cabinets where your pipes are—so that heat from inside gets into the cabinets and keeps the pipes warm. You can also let sinks drip.
2. Insulate your house by looking at all of the possible ways cool air could be getting into your house. That includes doors, windows and ventilation systems.
"Take a moment and go in and check the caulking around the windows or check the insulating strip around the door," DeLozier added. "That helps to keep the cooler air out and that can keep your energy bills down as well because it keeps your house warmer."
3. Cut dead tree limbs over your house.
"Just in case we do get heavy snowfall or heavy ice, that weight can really weigh down the dead limbs," DeLozier explained. "And that may cause them to drop onto your roof, which we do not want."
4. Clean the gutters. Leaves that have fallen during the fall season can cause clogging, which could get worse during the winter.
5. Check your roof. This could help you spot any issues and also help avoid substantial leaks after snow systems.