Winter Ready Home Checklist for Grande Prairie Homeowners

Practical tips from your REALTOR® and neighbour

If you live in Grande Prairie, you already know winter shows up with personality. Our cold snaps come in fast, the wind is dramatic and somehow the snow always finds a way to drift exactly where you do not want it.

I wanted to put together a simple winter ready guide for homeowners because a well prepared home can save you headaches, money and a few frantic late night moments when the temperature drops to minus thirty. Think of this as your friendly reminder list from someone who has lived through many Prairie winters with a house full of kids and a very busy schedule.

Here are the most important things to take care of before the deep freeze settles in.

1. Seal up the warm air

Walk around your home and check for cold drafts. Look at your windows, exterior doors and even around outlets on exterior walls. Warm air escapes quickly when the wind picks up. A small bead of caulking or new weatherstripping can make a big difference.

If you are planning to list your home soon, small maintenance steps like this make a big difference in how your home feels during winter showings. I go deeper into this inside my Ready to List Guide, which walks sellers through how to prepare with confidence.

2. Protect those pipes

Frozen pipes are one of the quickest ways winter can ruin a perfectly good day. Insulate any exposed plumbing in the basement, garage or utility room. If you leave home for a few days, keep the heat on and cabinet doors open where plumbing sits on exterior walls so warm air can circulate.

And yes, for anyone wondering about sump pump lines
You can add foam insulation around the exterior portion of the discharge line and make sure the line slopes downward so water drains out instead of sitting and freezing. Some homeowners also add a small insulated cover over the discharge point or talk to a plumber about a freeze guard or heat cable for extra protection during extreme cold snaps.

3. Clean out your gutters

When gutters fill with leaves and debris, meltwater has nowhere to go. This can lead to ice buildup and roof issues later. A quick clean now prevents a lot of frustration later in the season.

4. Get your furnace winter ready

Replace the filter, vacuum out dust around the unit and consider booking a quick service if you have not done one in a while. Furnaces work hard here in Grande Prairie so a little maintenance goes a long way.

5. Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors

Winter means closed windows, running your furnace constantly and using your fireplace more often. Test your alarms and check the batteries. Replace any smoke alarms that are ten years old. Carbon monoxide alarms usually have a shorter lifespan, often around seven years, so check the date on the device and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

6. Take care of your exterior

Trim back tree branches near the roof, check handrails, look for loose siding and secure anything that our famous Grande Prairie winds might grab. This is also the time to bring in outdoor furniture and cover anything that will stay outside.

7. Prepare your winter essentials

Here is what every Grande Prairie household should keep handy

• A snow shovel with a backup

• Ice melt or sand for the icy days

• Extra furnace filters

• A small space heater for emergencies

• Flashlights

• An emergency kit for your vehicle and your home

8. Check your sump pump

Make sure your sump pump is working before everything freezes. Pour a little water into the pit to make sure it activates and that water is moving away from your foundation. A quick test now avoids surprises in the spring thaw.

9. Ready your entryway for the season

Boot trays, mats, hooks and a good place for snow gear will make your life so much easier once the kids start coming in and out with all the winter layers.

Grande Prairie winters are strong but so are we

If you are newer to the community or settling into life in Grande Prairie, this is exactly the type of practical, family focused support I talk about inside my How I Support Families page. Every season brings its own challenges, and I love walking alongside families through all of them.

I love helping homeowners feel confident and prepared through every season here. When your home is ready for winter, it takes away so much stress and lets you enjoy all the cozy parts instead of worrying about the unexpected.

Stay warm, stay safe and let us enjoy another beautiful Prairie winter,

Laura Sikorski, Grande Prairie REALTOR®. 

Laura Sikorski, Grande Prairie REALTOR®.