2024 Chicago Winterization Guide: Fall Checklist for Homeowners & Renters

2024 Chicago Winterization Guide: Preparing Your Home for Cold Weather

Winter in Chicago is both beautiful and brutal, bringing freezing temperatures, heavy snowfall, and ice that left unattended, can lead to some major problems when managing or owning property. First-time homeowners may be asking "How to winterize properties in Chicago?" Or "How do I winterize my Chicago home?" Whether you're a homeowner, a renter, or someone looking to sell your property, we have put together some expert recommendations from Fannie Mae and Pearson Realty Group to help you take the proper steps to winterize your home is essential for your comfort, safety, and even saving money. In this comprehensive 2024 update for our Chicago Winterization Guide, we'll cover the key areas you should address before the snow starts to fall.

Why Winterization Matters in Chicago

The Midwest, especially Chicago, is known for its extreme winter conditions—blizzards, ice storms, sub-zero temperatures, and wind chills that can make your home feel like an icebox if it's not properly prepared. Just a few years ago during the 2019 Polar Vortex homeowners and renters alike experienced what happens when you don't prepare for the worst. Taking proactive steps now ensures your home is ready for whatever Mother Nature throws your way, and it could save you thousands in potential repairs. Winterizing your home can help you:

• Improve energy efficiency and lower heating costs.

• Prevent costly repairs from frozen pipes or roof damage.

• Protect your home’s value, especially if it’s on the market.

• Enhance safety and comfort for your family.

Winterizing Your Home: A Checklist for Homeowners

1. Inspect & Seal Windows and Doors

Drafty windows and doors can cause heat loss, making your home less energy-efficient and increasing your heating bill. Properly sealed windows and doors can massively cut down on heat loss. Use caulking or weatherstripping products to seal any gaps that air can escape - you can always check for drafts by holding a candle or lighter near windows and door frames—if the flame flickers, there is an air leak. Homeowners should also consider upgrading to storm windows that offer an extra layer of winter protection with added insulation. When our partners at Pearson Realty Group work with Chicago REO properties during the winter months, this is often one of the first and easiest steps taken in winterizing a home.

2. Service Your Furnace and HVAC System

Your heating system is your first defense against the cold, so ensuring it’s in good working order is necessary. Many experts recommend keeping your thermostat set at a consistent temperature (around 68°F) to save on heating costs. It's also recommended you schedule a professional furnace tune-up to check for any issues and change the filters. Be sure to check your thermostat settings, and consider upgrading to a programmable or smart thermostat to optimize energy efficiency. We recommend checking your HVAC systems and major appliances to ensure any pumps, hoses, cords, or any other connections are clear of obstructions and no water damage is present. This is also a good time to check to see if your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are in working order.

3. Clean Your Gutters and Downspouts

Clogged gutters can lead to ice dams, which cause water to back up under your roof and potentially lead to leaks and structural damage. Remove leaves, sticks, and debris from your gutters and ensure your downspouts direct water away from the foundation to avoid water buildup and ice hazards that can lead to possible roof looks. This is also a great time to inspect the exterior of your home for pests, rodents, and any potential entryways they could use. When the winter finally kicks in, it's important to monitor for any icicles forming, as this can be a sign of heat escaping.

4. Insulate Pipes to Prevent Freezing

Frozen pipes can burst, leading to costly water damage. One way to protect your pipes is to insulate exposed pipes, especially those in unheated areas like the garage, basement, or attic. You might want to consider installing heat tape for pipes in particularly cold areas of the home. For other areas of the house, you can ensure your pipes' integrity by keeping the temperature at a consistent rate, even if you're not home, to prevent freezing. We recommend a constant temp of 68°F to prevent potential issues, but every home and owner's comfort needs will be different.  This can be especially important when Pearson Realty Group’s Chicago REO team is prepping unoccupied inventory for the winter season.

5. Prepare Your Roof and Attic

Heavy snow and ice buildup can cause roof damage or even collapse in extreme cases. Attic insulation can also help prevent heat from escaping, further lowering your energy bills. Ensure your roof is ready to bear the weight of a snowy winter by inspecting your roof for missing/damaged shingles and making repairs as needed. It's also a good idea to clear out your attic and make sure it's properly insulated to prevent ice dams from forming on your roof. If you see any evidence of water damage, you should address this immediately. Preparing a roof and attic for the tough winter season is a significant portion of the preventative maintenance responsibilities PRG Management takes on for both residential and commercial spaces to ensure the building and its tenants are safe and sound.

Winterization for Renters: Essential Tips

If you’re a renter, there are still proactive steps you can take to ensure your home is warm and energy-efficient during the winter months. It’s also a good idea to check with your landlord about any shared responsibilities, like shoveling snow, salting walkways, or replacing filters to ensure you are doing everything you can to keep your home warm and comfortable. Here are a few renter-friendly winterization steps that we recommend:

• Ask your landlord to service the heating system and replace the filters.

• Use draft stoppers (or rolled-up towels) at the bottom of doors to prevent cold air from seeping in.

• Add thermal curtains to windows for extra insulation. Insulation Shrink Kits are another suitable budget-friendly solution.

• Reverse your ceiling fans to cycle warm air downward and circulate it more effectively.

• Keep your thermostat at a consistent temperature, even when you're not home, to prevent pipes from freezing.

READ MORE: Apartment Renter Tips for Chicago Winters

Expert Tips from Fannie Mae

According to Fannie Mae, proper home maintenance during winter can reduce energy costs and help avoid damage that could affect the home’s value. Remember that you may need a professional to handle more advanced maintenance and repairs. Here are a few steps that not only save money but can also increase the overall comfort and safety of your home during the winter months:

• Review insurance coverage: Know what your policies cover—policy changes can’t be made during a disaster.

• Prepare an emergency kit: Include chargers, flashlights, batteries, blankets, first aid, water, and nonperishable foods.

• Use resilient materials: Opt for windproof windows, fireproof siding, and durable roofing when making improvements.

• Store valuables securely: Use weatherproof containers or safes for heirlooms and important documents.

Our partners at Pearson Realty Group's Chicago REO & Short Sale department utilize in-depth guides from Fannie Mae that provide efficient processes that allow them to winterize REO properties and REO winterization services in a timely, budget-friendly fashion.

Winterizing your Chicago home is not just an annoying task to cross off your to-do list—it’s a crucial step to protect your home and improve energy efficiency while keeping your family safe and comfortable throughout the winter season. Whether you're a homeowner or renter, taking proactive measures now will save you time, money, and stress once the snow starts to fall.

As you prepare for the upcoming winter, refer back to PRG Management's 2024 Chicago Winterization Guide to ensure you haven’t missed any crucial steps. With proper planning, your home will be ready to withstand even the harshest Chicago winter. If you plan on selling this winter, contact our partners at Pearson Realty Group today to get in touch with an experienced Chicagoland real estate agent who can guide you through the best practices for listing your home during the winter. Owners and investors looking for assistance in managing your building's winterization efforts, and beyond contact our Chicago property management team or fill out the form below for a free proposal.

Section 8 Housing in Chicago: Frequently Asked Questions

The Chicago Housing Authority program for Section 8 housing can be a dividing point for many city landlords. While some landlords live by the program, others will avoid it entirely. Why is that? What are the benefits and potential downfalls of a landlord working with CHA? In this post, we will dive into what CHA does, the pros & cons of working with the program, and some frequently asked questions from many owners PRG Management works with. We will be talking to one of our rental property managers, Payton Dalessandro, about some of the ins and outs of the CHA program as well.

Q) What is CHA and what is Section 8 housing?

A) CHA stands for the Chicago Housing Authority, a municipal non-profit organization that provides and finds housing for more than 63,000 households. Created in 1937 to help maintain and operate housing built under the Roosevelt administration’s public works acts - they’ve continued to grow to this day. They create partnerships, deals, and opportunities for no/low-income Chicago residents giving them a safe roof over their heads.

Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1987 (referred to as simply, “Section 8”) authorizes the payment of rental housing assistance to private landlords on behalf of low-income households. Essentially Section 8 is what gives the CHA the ability and power to provide the assistance they do. CHA deals with properties, landlords, and violations while Section 8 focuses on the payment and tenant side.

Q) What are the benefits of having a CHA tenant?

A) One thing landlords love about having a CHA tenant is the guaranteed portion of the rent. Paid automatically via ACH - Section 8 will pay typically around 90% or more based on the Fair Market Rent for your metropolitan area. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) publishes an updated list of rates each year that helps set expectations across the board.

Q) What are the disadvantages of having a CHA tenant?

A) The biggest annoyance many landlords find with the CHA program is not from the tenants themselves but the system and long process. Depending on the situation it can be tedious and drawn out process with all the inspections and approvals that need to take place. This can take several weeks and if the tenants have a child under 6 in the family, this process will take even longer due to more extensive inspections.

Another pain landlords may experience when dealing CHA tenants is rent determination. This process can be a bit complicated so we recommend reading through CHA’s official document for how rent determination and its disputes are decided.

Q) I’ve heard many issues can arise from CHA tenants. Is this true?

A) While this trope about bad CHA tenants still lives today, we have found no data or trends to suggest landlords have more issues renting to CHA/Section 8 tenants than not. It is recommended that you screen CHA applicants the same way you would any other potential tenant.

Q) Can I deny a CHA applicant? What are my options?

A) A CHA applicant’s source of income is a protected class under the Illinois Fair Housing laws. So while you can’t deny a CHA applicant for their income you can deny them if they don’t meet your minimum requirements in other categories (rental history, credit score, etc.) you may deny them like any other applicant.

Q) My house didn’t pass CHA inspection. What do I do?

A) If CHA doesn’t pass your property for an inspection you have two choices: fix the repairs or not. If you still wish to rent out to a CHA/Section 8 tenant you must address the repairs up to the CHA standards. After which you would schedule a new inspection.

Or you could simply not address the repairs. You will no longer be able to continue down the CHA process but you can now rent the property to any non-CHA applicant.

Q) How do landlords get paid through CHA?

A) The CHA/Section 8 payment process is quite simple and one of the biggest advantages for landlords. Prior to your tenant’s first month of occupancy, you will submit a form to CHA with your banking information that allows you to receive automatic deposits on the first of every month.

Q) I’m unable to handle the CHA inspections and paperwork on my own. What can I do?
A) Let PRG Management take care of it! The biggest reason landlords and property owners hire property management companies is the sheer amount of time and effort that is put into managing even just one CHA property/unit. We can ensure owners are getting the best return on their investment with no stress involved. Call us at (312) 600-8896 today to get a FREE management proposal!

Apartment Renter Tips for Chicago Winters

From some basic quality of life for city winters as well as how to save money on utilities during cold spells, these are some essential apartment renter tips on how to thrive in your Chicago Winters rental.

We always recommended checking with your landlord or property manager to ensure any sort of "improvements" or "alterations" you do are performed properly. There may be a professional vendor that your property owner may prefer to any DIY repairs.

Re-caulk or Wrap Windows

One way cold seeps into your apartment during Chicago winters (especially in older buildings) is cracks & gaps in your windows forming over time. An easy fix is to purchase from caulk to re-seal any cold breezes coming through window gaps. Another method that is quite effective, but less visually pleasing/functional is to use a Shrink Film Insulator Kit. This can be particularly useful in some older homes that do not have modern energy-efficient windows. Making sure your landlord is okay with you sealing the windows is always a good idea, as they may have a professional(s) to perform the task.

Door Draft Stopper

Threading the same needle as window leaks, gaps in your doors can cause your heating bill to be larger by allowing heat to escape. This is much easier to determine compared to window leaks but has extremely similar solutions - to seal the gap. Draft stoppers are popular fixes and come in many styles whether they be plastic strips that stick to your door or weighted cloth insulators. It will take you longer to order than it will to install - a no-brainer energy-saving method.

Use Carpet or Rugs for Insulation

Many older apartments (especially two and four flats) in the city will primarily have wood flooring, which tends to retain the cold temperatures. Buying runner and area rugs go a long way in providing simple insulation for your apartment's overall temperature. You will find the heater running less and less when you have things like rugs that can retain a bit of 'heat'. This is will also insulate any noise you make (to a degree) so this is a great cheap, simple, no-brainer quality of life improvement for any apartment renter. 

Check out the full list of apartment renter tips for Chicago winters HERE!

Getting Ready for New Tenants

Even after the numerous tasks for listing a property have been completed there is still work to be done is order to be fully prepared for new tenants at your rental property. In order to properly welcome the new tenants there are a few things that should be considered.

The Search for a Tenants

First, screening the possible tenants. This can be a little awkward at times, but is extremely important because you want to find serious tenants that will not cause any issues with the property. The primary thing to do is to ask questions to determine how motivated the potential tenants are. People that are looking to move in the next few days or even the next day indicate that they are not good planners and are probably not the type of tenants you want. On the other hands, tenants that are looking to move in several months should also be avoided as they are not immediately motivated to begin renting. There is a sweet spot in between the distant future and the next day that you as the property manager need to determine. A good place to start to find that time frame is to check the potential tenants credit, background, and criminal records. No evictions, steady work, and a clean criminal record usually indicate a good tenant.

The next step after a tenant has been selected is to collect the first month’s rent upfront and a security deposit. From there the following measure is the leasing agreement. This is the best way to express rules for the property such as: whether or not smoking is okay, the amount of roommates that can be living there at any given time, or any specifics on how rent payments should be made.

Welcoming the Tenants

Once all the technical arrangements are made the final step in the process is creating a welcoming environment for the tenants. Flowers or a gift basket is a nice gesture. Another option as a welcome gift could be household essentials such as paper towels or bottled water; since moving can be frustrating, these little items are sometimes over looked. New tenants typically really appreciate the thought of a gift in general. An exceptionally nice gesture would be a nice bottle of wine or craft beer from a local shop in the neighborhood to show that the new tenants are welcome to the neighborhood.