Hello everyone
I am Charles McShan from Century 21 Universal. It is wintertime in Amercia, and it is below zero in Chicago. Each year, many homeowners fail to prepare their homes for winter. If you have done so, then congratulations. If you did not do it, don’t panic, you still have time. This blog post, entitled “How to keep your home safe and warm during the Chicago winter of 2025,” will benefit you. This blog post will help both homeowners and apartment dwellers, as both groups need to keep the cold winter air out of their homes as much as possible. Some of these tips will benefit single-family homeowners more than apartment and condo owners, so use what you need. Let’s get into it.
Article Guide
1: The Heating System of your home.
Yes, if you live in an apartment building or a co-op, heating costs are included in your lease agreement. As many leasing companies remodel their apartment rentals, they replace the old furnaces in the basement with furnaces in each unit. So, whether you are a homeowner or renter, if you have a gas furnace within your home, there is a filter attached. This filter improves the indoor air quality by trapping allergens and other particles. I just replaced my filter last week. There are rows of them for sale at your local store. They vary in price and in what you want removed from the air in your home. Without a clean filter, your system will work harder, use more energy, and can either overheat or break down. Experts recommend changing the filter every 3 months, but if you notice dirt buildup, use your own discretion. There is more to the heating system than just the filter. Your heating system, along with the air conditioning system, should be checked by qualified professionals before the heating season to ensure that all parts are operating as they should.
2:Cold Air Seeping Into Your Home.
Yeah, we all know the feeling when cold air is seeping into your home via the windows and doors. You feel it, and you need to stop that airflow ASAP. That air flow also makes your furnace work harder. The solution!
1: Apply the proper type of caulk around the window trim to seal off any drafts.
2. Install weatherstripping around the edges of windows and doors to create a tight seal.
3: You can use a door blocker or place a rug on the floor to prevent air seepage.
4: You can also buy window insulation shrink kits to block air from seeping into your windows by using a hair dryer to seal the edges
3:Does Your Home Have Ceiling Fans?
If not, then this does not apply to you. If so, flip your ceiling fan switch to reverse the air flow to a counterclockwise direction. This will create an updraft that pushes the warm air that rises towards the ceiling back down into the room, heating it evenly. Now these tips were for everyone, including apartment dwellers and condo owners. The following tips are for single-family homeowners and townhome owners.
4: Inspection Of Your Roof.
You should have your roof checked at least twice a year by licensed roofing experts for shingle and gutter damage. Fixing this ahead of time will prevent leaks from the sleet, Ice, rain, and snow of wintertime. Roofing is a dangerous job, and unless it is an emergency, few roofers will climb onto a roof in the dead of winter to fix a roofing problem.
5: Cleaning Your Roofing Gutters.
Yes, as mentioned above, having a licensed roofer inspect your gutters is essential to keep water safely flowing from your rooftop down to the sewer system beneath the ground, away from your home. Clogged gutters can lead to gutter system malfunctions, sliding, and possible foundation issues. There are well-known local handypersons in your area who, for a fee, will periodically climb onto your roof to clear your gutters of leaves, dirt, and other debris. Many leaf guard systems on the market claim their system will keep all debris from your gutters.
Your roof and gutter systems work together to keep moisture out of your home. In the wintertime, even with a gutter system in tip-top condition, Ice dams or icicles will form on the gutter systems. When temperatures are below freezing, as they were around December 14th, 2025, you will see Icicles everywhere. Experts say to be on guard when walking near the edge of homes and gutters. Be on guard even more when walking around downtown skyscrapers. Years ago, I wrote a blog post about the dangers lurking above our heads during winter. To read this post. click here
6: Inspection of Chimney and Fireplaces
Just as a roof inspection is essential for the outside of your home, so is the inspection of your chimney and fireplace for the inside of your home. Why so? Three words.Carbon monoxide poisoning.Two more words, home fires. Malfunctioning chimneys cause house fires mainly through creosote buildup. This is a flammable tar that ignites and spreads heat, cracking the flue liner and igniting anything in its way, debris, bird nests, and the rubber on the roofs. If you like to read more on this subject, here is an artilce provided by the Countryside Fire Department. Click here
Want to learn how to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning in your home this winter? Check out this article. click here
In some urban areas, landlords try to cut costs by providing only enough heat to keep their pipes near exterior walls from freezing. They do not really care about their apartment tenants, so the tenants, to stay warm, will buy space heaters. They are trying to survive, but make sure you purchase heaters meant for indoor use only. Each year, many people die from improper use of space heaters. Homeowners with fireplaces and chimneys have them inspected before the winter season. If you have not done so, get it done ASAP. Many homeowners say there is something special about the crackling of wood burning in an open fireplace, warming a room on a cold winter night.
7: Turn Off All Outside Water Connecctions.
Water in exterior pipes can freeze, leading to bursts. This will be a very costly repair job. To prevent this mishap, disconnect all hoses from outdoor faucets. If you have shut-off valves, turn them off and drain all water from the source. 3 weeks ago, a YouTube video. Informed me on styrofoam exterior faucet covers. By installing them on exterior water faucets, you can prevent water pipes from freezing. Want to know how to keep indoor home pipes from freezing? click here
Conclusion!
That is it. These are the main preventive measures for keeping your home safe and warm during the Chicago winter of 2025. If you have any thoughts or suggestions for other preventive maintenance tips, please leave them in the comments. Unless there is a massive snowstorm, there will always be a supply of shovels, salts, and other ice-clearing devices you will need to keep your sidewalks and driveways cleared. Unless it is an emergency, no roofer will do regular roofing and gutter work during the winter months unless it is for big bucks. Every other maintenance task can still be done.
. If you are considering buying or selling your home this winter, please get in touch with me by phone or email using the contact information below. Serious home buyers are looking to buy during the holiday season and right into 2026. The key for homeowners looking to sell is to keep their homes in good, presentable condition, as many people are doing during the holiday season. I wrote this blog post on this subject a year ago, and you can read it by clicking this link. click here
For more up-to-date information about the home-selling market as it applies to 2025, check out my 2025 Winter home seller’s guide, click here.
For the serious Homebuyers looking to buy before the Spring moving season, here is the 2025 Homebuyer’s guide, just hot off the market click here
Thank you for reading this blog post. Please keep you and your home safe and warm during the winter of 2025. If you are traveling, may your journeys be safe. I will see you, God willing, next year.
Take care
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