Looking for ways to save money on your winter home this season? If you live in a part of the world with very cold winters, these temperatures can take their toll on your home. The same is true of the weather that winter often brings. Ice, sleet, snow, and all of the variations in between, can really mess up a house if it isn’t fully prepared. If you want to make sure your winter house survives and thrives during the coldest months of the year, here are some tips to do just that.

Essential Ways to Save Money on the Exterior of your Home:

Bring in any delicate outdoor furniture, especially anything made of aluminum, which will rust during the cold wet months of winter. If you have firewood outside or any similar items, cover them with a tarp to protect them from snow. If you have in-ground plants that will not survive a frost, try using deep mulch around their bases, or consider structures to protect them from frost in your winter home. Apartment Therapy has 7 tips to prepare your outdoor home this winter.

Seal Gaps in your Winter Home:

Now is the time to search your home for gaps that allow cold air inside. These will typically be found around windows and doors. This is a great time to give your walls a visible pest inspection. Though pests like termites will be more or less dormant during the coldest days, they should still be easy to spot. You can get them exterminated before they go back to business in the spring!

Use the Attic Insulation for Additional Ways to Save Money

Insulation is a great way to keep your heat inside, and your heat bills low. If you don’t have attic insulation, it’s as simple as blowing some in with a rented machine. If you don’t have it in your walls, it could be worth the expense and trouble to have it put in. You’ll be amazed at home much warmer your home feels, and how much less it costs to warm it up. Consider upgrading windows, too, for this same purpose.

Prepare your Winter Home for Ice Outdoors:

If you are going to have wet and cold mixed together, you can bet that your house will be surrounded by ice. It’s important for your safety and mobility to pre-treat your stairs, walkways, and other hard surfaces with ice melt, well before accumulation comes into the picture. This item tends to sell out in grocery stores whenever a storm is on the horizon, so stock up before it is an absolute necessity. It’s important to remember that these ice melt salt crystals should be swept up when they are no longer in use. Left on your sidewalks, they can lead to premature wearing, and the chemicals in the salt should be kept out of the water supply. These outdoor tips from DIY can help you prepare your winter home for ice.

We hope that your winter is a bit snugger and cozier with these tips. Properly prepared, you’ll be ready for anything winter weather can throw at you. You’ll enjoy a comfortable winter, free from the anxiety of the person who didn’t prepare as well as you. Have a mug of cocoa and sit back. You earned it.

For more outdoor home ideas and ways to save money, see Stagetecture’s archives.