Get your home ready for winter with these outdoor projects
Watching my husband have fun with his weekend projects (and his new toy – his jet-pack leaf blower from Stihl) reminds me that mother nature (and her glorious fall foliage) will soon turn colder – despite this perfect weather we have been having in Chester County lately! This time of year, it’s important to get your home ready for the colder months (sorry, and snow and ice). Here are a few tips to get your home ready for winter (the outdoor edition):
- Use caulk to seal cracks around windows and doors and where trim and siding meet.
- After leaves have fallen, clean your gutters. Replace any gutters or downspouts that are worn or sagging.
- Inspect your roof. Replace missing shingles and check flashing around pipes, chimneys, and skylights.
- Remove window A/C units or cover them with an insulating wrap.
- Clean and store your lawnmower. Drain or add fuel stabilizer to the gas tank before putting it away.
- Remove hoses from outdoor faucets and turn off shutoff valves that supply exterior faucets. Drain the hoses and store them
- Drain your irrigation system if there is a danger of the buried lines freezing, which can cause them to burst
- Remove screens from windows and install storm windows. Clean and repair screens before storing them.
- Clean porches and decks, including furniture. Check for any needed repairs and store furniture and grilling equipment in a protected place.
- Clean and organize the garage and install weather stripping around the garage door.
- Clean leaves from the yard and prune plants and trees. Be sure branches are at least three feet from the house so water doesn’t drip onto the house.
- Divide and move perennials and plant spring-flowering bulbs. Remove dead or dying annuals.
- Add a fresh layer of mulch in garden beds.
- Aerate your lawn and re-seed patchy areas. Spread fertilizer.
While this list might feel a bit overwhelming, regular maintenance and repairs this fall will get your home ready for winter and will go a long way to make sure your home stays in the best shape possible. Tackle a project or two each weekend and by the time the holidays are here, you can relax and enjoy them!
What’s first on your to-do list?
Have these winterization projects got you thinking about a new home? Here are some of our tips to get your home ready for sale in the spring (or now). Feeling extra ambitious? How about a local hike at one of Chester County’s best hiking trails. And while you’re at it, grab some take-out. You deserve a night off from all of your hard work!
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