5 Things NH Homeowners Should Check Before Winter

New Hampshire winters don't ease you in. One week you're raking leaves, the next you're scraping ice off the windshield at 6am. For homeowners in the Kearsarge region — Warner, New London, Henniker, Hopkinton, and the surrounding towns — that shift happens fast.

The good news is that most cold-weather plumbing and heating problems are preventable. A little attention in October or early November goes a long way toward keeping your home warm, dry, and out of emergency-repair territory.

Here are five things worth checking before winter sets in.

1. Have Your Heating System Inspected

Your furnace or boiler has been sitting idle since spring. Before you rely on it to keep your family warm through a New Hampshire winter, it's worth having a professional take a look.

A heating system inspection typically covers:

• Checking the heat exchanger for cracks (a cracked exchanger can leak carbon monoxide)
• Cleaning burners and checking ignition
• Inspecting the flue and venting for blockages
• Testing safety controls and thermostat calibration
• Checking fuel lines and connections

Most issues caught during an inspection are minor and inexpensive to fix. The same issues caught in January — when every heating contractor in the state is slammed — are a different story.

If your system is more than 15 years old, an inspection is especially important. Older systems can run fine right up until they don't, and a mid-winter breakdown is one of the more stressful home emergencies you can face.

2. Insulate Pipes in Unheated Spaces

Frozen pipes are one of the most common — and most preventable — winter plumbing problems. When water freezes inside a pipe, it expands. That expansion can crack or burst the pipe, and when it thaws, you've got a leak on your hands.

The pipes most at risk are the ones in unheated spaces: basements, crawl spaces, garages, and exterior walls. Foam pipe insulation is inexpensive and easy to install, and it makes a real difference.

A few things to check:

• Basement and crawl space pipes — especially near exterior walls or in areas that don't get much heat
• Pipes in the garage — if you have a utility sink or water supply running through an unheated garage, those lines need attention
• Outdoor hose bibs — disconnect garden hoses and, if you don't have frost-free bibs, shut off the interior valve and drain the line

If you're not sure which pipes are at risk in your home, a plumber can walk through with you and point out the vulnerable spots.

3. Check Your Water Heater

Your water heater works harder in winter. Cold incoming water means the unit has to work more to bring it up to temperature, and if the system is already struggling, that extra load can push it over the edge.

Signs your water heater may need attention:

• Age — most tank water heaters last 8–12 years. If yours is approaching that range, it's worth having it inspected before winter
• Rust-colored water — can indicate corrosion inside the tank
• Rumbling or popping sounds — often caused by sediment buildup, which reduces efficiency and can shorten the unit's life
• Inconsistent hot water — if you're running out of hot water faster than you used to, the heating element or thermostat may be failing

Flushing the tank to remove sediment is a simple maintenance step that most homeowners skip. It takes about 30 minutes and can meaningfully extend the life of the unit.

If your water heater is showing multiple warning signs, replacing it before winter — rather than waiting for it to fail — is almost always the smarter financial decision.

4. Test Your Thermostat and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Before the first cold snap, turn your heat on and make sure it actually comes on. It sounds obvious, but thermostats can fail over the summer — batteries die, connections corrode — and you don't want to find out on the first cold night.

While you're at it, test your carbon monoxide detectors. CO is odorless and colorless, and heating systems are one of the primary sources of CO leaks in homes. Detectors should be replaced every 5–7 years; if yours are older than that, replace them now.

A few other things to check:

• Replace the furnace filter — a clogged filter reduces airflow and makes your system work harder. Check it monthly during heating season
• Clear vents and registers — make sure furniture isn't blocking floor or wall vents
• Check the area around your furnace or boiler — clear any stored items that could be a fire hazard

5. Know Where Your Main Shutoff Is

This one isn't a maintenance task — it's just good to know. If a pipe does burst or a fitting fails, the first thing you need to do is shut off the water supply to the house. If you don't know where the main shutoff valve is, find it now, before there's water spraying across your basement floor.

Make sure the valve actually works. Shutoff valves that haven't been turned in years can seize up. If yours is stiff or won't fully close, have a plumber replace it — it's a straightforward job and worth doing.

Get Ahead of It This Year

Most of the problems we see in January and February could have been caught in October. A heating system that's been running rough all fall, a water heater that's been making noise for months, pipes in a crawl space that nobody thought about — these things don't fix themselves, and they tend to fail at the worst possible time.

If you'd like a professional set of eyes on your heating system or plumbing before winter, we're happy to help. Brady Plumbing and Heating serves Warner, New London, Henniker, Hopkinton, Sutton, and the surrounding Kearsarge region.

Schedule your winter prep service today — we're booking now, and spots fill up as the season gets closer.

Brady Plumbing and Heating

(603) 738-9207 · Mon–Fri, 7am–4pm

Warner, NH