Reviewed
How to Winterize Your House: A Printable Checklist
Short answer: To winterize a house, protect the plumbing first, then the heating, then the outside. Disconnect hoses and drain outdoor faucets, arrange professional irrigation winterization, insulate pipes in unheated spaces, and keep the heat on (the American Red Cross says no lower than 55°F if you're away). Service the furnace and change the filter, test smoke and CO alarms, seal drafts, clean gutters, and find your main water shut-off. Do it before your area's first freeze: typical first-frost dates run from late September in the northern Rockies to late November in Florida and California.
Winterizing checklist
Plumbing (do first)
Heating and safety
Envelope
Outside
When to winterize: first frost by state
Aim to finish the plumbing steps before the typical first frost. These are medians across weather stations, not a date forecast for your home. At an individual station, its median first 32°F date falls after the first freeze in about half of the years. Mountains and valleys within a state can differ by weeks, and the National Weather Service issues freeze warnings for your area. Hawaii is not listed because this compilation does not publish a first-frost date for it.
| State | Typical first fall frost |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Nov 9 |
| Alaska | Sep 22 |
| Arizona | Nov 12 |
| Arkansas | Nov 6 |
| California | Nov 29 |
| Colorado | Oct 4 |
| Connecticut | Oct 17 |
| Delaware | Nov 4 |
| Florida | Nov 30 |
| Georgia | Nov 12 |
| Idaho | Sep 29 |
| Illinois | Oct 21 |
| Indiana | Oct 21 |
| Iowa | Oct 10 |
| Kansas | Oct 20 |
| Kentucky | Oct 25 |
| Louisiana | Nov 24 |
| Maine | Oct 2 |
| Maryland | Nov 2 |
| Massachusetts | Oct 14 |
| Michigan | Oct 11 |
| Minnesota | Oct 2 |
| Mississippi | Nov 12 |
| Missouri | Oct 24 |
| Montana | Sep 21 |
| Nebraska | Oct 7 |
| Nevada | Oct 4 |
| New Hampshire | Oct 4 |
| New Jersey | Oct 27 |
| New Mexico | Oct 17 |
| New York | Oct 12 |
| North Carolina | Nov 4 |
| North Dakota | Sep 27 |
| Ohio | Oct 22 |
| Oklahoma | Nov 1 |
| Oregon | Oct 22 |
| Pennsylvania | Oct 19 |
| Rhode Island | Oct 20 |
| South Carolina | Nov 9 |
| South Dakota | Oct 1 |
| Tennessee | Oct 29 |
| Texas | Nov 15 |
| Utah | Oct 5 |
| Vermont | Oct 1 |
| Virginia | Oct 28 |
| Washington | Oct 20 |
| West Virginia | Oct 20 |
| Wisconsin | Oct 6 |
| Wyoming | Sep 24 |
What it costs
| Task | National cost range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sprinkler winterization (pro) | $56–$137, avg $93; compressed-air blowout $100–$250 | Angi, updated Oct 2, 2026 |
| Furnace tune-up with cleaning | $125–$200 (basic inspection $80–$100) | Angi, updated Sep 25, 2026 |
| Furnace filter | $1–$35 each | Angi, updated Sep 25, 2026 |
| Pipe insulation (pro) | $360–$850, avg $600; $0.50–$5 per linear foot | Angi, updated Oct 28, 2026 |
| Frozen or burst pipe repair | No cost range on this page | Burst pipe shut-off guide |
Items your inspection report may have flagged
If you bought recently, your report may already list winter risks. Common ones to look for: non-frost-free hose bibs, uninsulated pipes in a crawl space or garage, a furnace that's dirty, old or due for service, missing CO alarms, thin attic insulation, gutters that drain toward the foundation. This is a list of what to check, not a frequency claim.
Upload your report to the free Inspection Analyzer to pull out the winter-related findings with estimated costs, so you can schedule them before the first freeze. See an example.
Data block
Assembled 2026-11-02.
| Figure | Value | Source | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat setting if away | No lower than 55°F | American Red Cross frozen pipes | 2026-11-02 |
| First fall frost by state | Table above, median of each state's stations at 32°F | NOAA NCEI method; state medians compiled at amphibianpublishing.com/frost from 1991–2020 normals | 2026-11-02 |
| Sprinkler winterization | $56–$137 (avg $93); blowout $100–$250 | Angi sprinkler winterization cost | 2026-11-02 |
| Furnace tune-up | $125–$200 | Angi furnace repair costs | 2026-11-02 |
| Pipe insulation | $360–$850 (avg $600); $0.50–$5 per foot | Angi pipe insulation cost | 2026-11-02 |
FAQ
When should I winterize my house?
Before the first freeze where you live. Typical first-frost dates range from late September in Montana and Wyoming to late November in Florida and California, so check your state above.
Do I need to winterize if I'm home all winter?
You don't need to drain the whole system, but outdoor faucets, irrigation and exposed pipes still need attention.
What temperature should I leave the house at if I'm away?
The American Red Cross recommends no lower than 55°F.
How much does it cost to winterize a sprinkler system?
Angi puts professional winterization at $56–$137, with an average of $93, and a full compressed-air blowout at $100–$250.
Is winterizing the same as weatherizing?
No. Winterizing protects systems from freezing; weatherizing seals drafts to save energy. This checklist covers both.