How do you get your house ready for winter in Tennessee?

To get a house ready for a Tennessee winter, focus on four things: keep cold air out, keep pipes from freezing, keep water moving off the house, and make sure your detectors work. For most homes, that is an afternoon or two of work in October or November.

Seal drafts first. On a windy day, hold your hand near the edges of doors and windows. Caulk gaps where parts don't move, like around trim. Replace worn weatherstripping on doors and windows that open. The U.S. Department of Energy lists these as two of the simplest ways to cut air leaks.

Get ahead of frozen pipes. Even mild winters in East Tennessee bring hard freezes. Unhook garden hoses, because water trapped in a hose can freeze back into the faucet. Fit each outdoor spigot with an insulating cap. Learn where your main water shutoff is. During deep cold, open sink cabinets on outside walls.

Clear the gutters once the leaves are down. Clogged gutters can overflow, send water toward the foundation, and freeze into ice along the edge.

Change the air filter and put fresh batteries in smoke and CO detectors that use replaceable ones. Heaters, fireplaces and gas appliances run more in winter, so a working CO detector matters. Have a licensed pro look over the furnace or heat pump.

Fortress handles the filter, detector batteries, draft sealing and faucet caps on its Fall Prep visit, and looks over the gutters while there.