Fall and Winter Prep Guide to Beat the Cold
by Guest on Nov 24, 2015
The leaves are falling and the holidays are here. It’s best to prepare for the colder months early than to find yourself in a jam when they’re suddenly here in full swing. The major points are maintaining the heat in your home, raking leaves, and clearing the snow when that falls. Whichever winterizing tips your home needs, double check with this article and make sure you’re in the clear. Here’s a list of things to prepare for when the colder seasons finally hit.
Leaves and Lawn Care
When the leaves start to fall on your property, you’re going to want to either have them removed or mulched on your lawn. Mulching is an often underrated form of leaf removal, and can be incredibly beneficial to your lawn. Removing leaves is necessary for lawn care in the long run, because any leaves that remain during the warm months will cut off sunlight to the grass and potentially damage your yard. Also anything that gets snowed on becomes harder to remove after the winter is done.
Should there be a lot of trees on your property, it may be in your best interest to hire either tree trimming or tree removal for your home. Broken branches, fallen twigs, and random debris from the treeline can add a lot to the amount of time it takes to clear your yard and roof. Tree trimmers can take care of the problem before it even starts.
If you have an irrigation system, that needs to be winterized as well. Be sure it’s completely turned off and that there is no water running through the system. Unchecked liquid unfortunately has the tendency to freeze and expand in the cold, thus damaging your property. Also be sure to remove the outdoor hoses and if necessary, the spigots as well.
Gutters and Ice Dams
You’ll want to make sure your gutters are completely clear of twigs, leaves, and debris. It can be a pain, sure, but luckily you can hire professionals for gutter cleaning in your area. They’ll be able to guarantee that your home is free from blockage and no longer susceptible to ice dams over the winter.
Ice dams can be particularly damaging in the case of prolonged snow or cold. They start in your gutter and can potentially reach the inside of your home if left unchecked. Be sure to either clear them out before the cold season hits, or if ladders aren’t your thing, have a professional do it for you.
Decks
Often overlooked in winterizing one’s home, decks take a lot of damage from snow. This is especially true when the decking already needs repairs before the cold hits. Any cracks, chipped paint, or old finish can get pushed and pulled around during the contracting nature of cold weather. So be sure to have any necessary repairs done before it gets too cold out. Your deck will thank you for it.
While you’re at it, be sure to check on your driveways and walkways before the snow falls. Keep salt or snow melt at the ready before ice has a chance to build up on your property. If you have pavers, double check with the manufacturer to make sure that rock salt won’t harm your patio.
Insulation
Making sure your attic is properly insulated often goes over homeowner’s heads. Most homes’ attics can be outfitted with fiberglass batts, which are one of the most cost effective and reliable methods of insulation. Otherwise fill in the nooks and crannies of your home with blown in loose-fill to keep your home warm in the winter. As an added bonus, proper insulation doubles as cooling material during the summer weather. That’s right, insulating your home saves on energy bills all year round.
To make sure your pipes don’t freeze or burst, feel free to get them properly insulated as well. It won’t take much, just a layer of foam will make for a quick DIY project. Conversely, you can always have a plumber properly outfit your home’s piping with insulation. Either way, your home will be a little warmer for it.
Article written by Sean Mahan, also a writer for largepro, a company that connects homeowners to reliable, affordable and professional contractors for their home improvement projects. Check more on Twitter.
Popular Articles
Three Places to Spend Money on the Exterior of Your Home
When you have the exterior of your home remodeled, you are investing, time, energy and convenience into the project and you want to make sure that...
66135 Views
When to Use a Brush, Roller or Sponge Brush
Brushes are a good choice for painting trim and woodwork. They are also useful for cutting in the edges around the top and bottom edges and corners...
66047 Views
Homemade Headboards-Make an Upholstered or Wooden Headboard
Homemade headboards can add a lot of personality to any bedroom. They can be coordinated with existing furniture and room decor or they can be the...
60219 Views
Creating a Cottage Kitchen with Bead Board
Kitchen decor can range from modern and bold to elegant and elaborate by using strategic kitchen pieces. One of the most popular decorating trends...
41104 Views
Gas Fireplace Diagnostics and Troubleshooting
Follow these steps for diagnosing and troubleshooting Gas Fireplaces repairs. For the average DIYer, this may seem intimidating, depending on the...
25751 Views
Latest Articles
6 Water Heater Problems to Never Ignore
You know how frustrating it is to take a cold shower in the middle of winter or for the hot water to run out before you're even halfway through. To...
on Aug 14, 2022
How Land Clearing Can Improve Your Property Value
When you want to improve your property value, land clearing is a great option to consider. This process can remove any trees, undergrowth, or...
on Aug 10, 2022
Residential andCommercial HVAC Service: What’s the Difference
HVAC denotes heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. HVAC systems assist in regulating the environmental temperatures and humidity while...
on Aug 3, 2022
Top 6 Things to Look for When Hiring a Professional Plumber
Whether you need to replace bathtub faucets or unclog drainage systems and kitchen sinks, a plumber does it all. However, look for a professional...
on Jul 21, 2022
Water Leaks
Water leaks are one of the most common causes of home damage and are one of the most expensive types of water damage to repair. If you are unsure...
on Jul 20, 2022
Featured Articles
What Type of Licensed Contractor Should You Hire?
on Feb 28, 2017
Hire Contractors / Estimates

Looking for a specialty project? There are many types of contractors available for your home improvement needs. Finding the right type of...
Sponsored Articles
Juan Plumbing - Learn about SCAMs
on Sep 17, 2021
Hire Contractors / Estimates

I can firmly say, I'm only trying to be an advocate for a neighbor that is a DISABLED SENIOR who was taken advantage of in this SCAM. I feel the...
Actions
Top Categories
- Garden / Landscaping / Patio — 260
- Kitchen / Bathrooms — 236
- Real Estate / Finance — 190
- Appliance / Repair — 185
- Interior Design / Decor — 181
- HVAC / Air Conditioning — 147
- Cleaning / Maintenance — 140
- Improvements / Remodeling — 131
- Plumbing / Basements — 116
- Floors / Tile / Hardwood — 114
- Doors / Garages — 112
- Safety / Security — 112
Articles Archive
More DIY Articles
Artificial Grass Is King of the Lawns: a Look at the Benefits
To talk about the benefits of artificial grass would beat the same drum over and over again. It’s been discussed countless times on different...
How to Know Good Roofing Companies
Everyone needs a roof over their head and roofing companies are at the heart of making this happen. Many of these companies have set up shop all...
Building or Remodeling a Kids Playroom - Safety First
The husband has his "man cave", the wife has her "coffee nook" and kids.... they have their own playroom too. When it comes to the ideal family...
Commercial Air Conditioning and Heating Services
Modern lifestyle is chiefly marked by the conveniences that help us to fight the severity of natural conditions as well. One of these is the...
Oregon Local Builders Associations
Find a local builder or council, please contact the home builders' association (HBA) in your area.