{"id":4272,"date":"2020-12-04T01:33:15","date_gmt":"2020-12-04T09:33:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/?p=4272"},"modified":"2022-09-27T22:35:15","modified_gmt":"2022-09-28T05:35:15","slug":"7-easy-steps-for-winter-proofing-your-home-and-garden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/7-easy-steps-for-winter-proofing-your-home-and-garden\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Easy Steps For Winter Proofing Your Home And Garden"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most of us will be nesting at home this winter, so it\u2019s more important than ever to make sure that the house is ready for the challenges of the cold season. If you\u2019re working or studying from home, that means you\u2019ll have to keep your space nice and warm.<\/p>\n

Heating costs tend to pile up when you\u2019re using your furnace all day every day, compared to a few hours in the mornings and evenings, like most of us normally did the previous winters. You can control these costs and still be comfortable in your home by adding some extra insulation in the areas most exposed, like windows and doors. You should also store your garden furniture and tools somewhere inside to protect them from rain, snow and cold. Also, make sure that your garage is decluttered, so you don\u2019t have to resort to parking your car in the driveway and having to clean and defrost your car before driving anywhere.<\/p>\n

Here are the main steps you should take now to ensure your home is well prepared for the cold season:<\/p>\n

<\/span>1. Clean the gutters<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Colorful autumn leaves are definitely gorgeous; however, they do have one downside \u2014 a lot of them end up in the gutters. As the cold season starts, it\u2019s essential to have them removed, along with all the other debris building up in there. Otherwise, water doesn\u2019t drain properly and ends up freezing inside the gutters, damaging your roof<\/a> and potentially leading to leakages inside your home. The simplest way to do the task is by using a ladder and a small garden trowel to manually remove all the gunk in there. You could also use a hose to flush if there\u2019s only fine debris. If you do this type of maintenance once or twice a year, it doesn\u2019t get to the point where there\u2019s a lot of built up dirt, so the job is a lot easier.<\/p>\n

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<\/span>2. Turn off the outdoor water line<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Turn off your home\u2019s outdoor water valve \u2014 otherwise, the outdoor faucet and pipes will break as the water freezes inside them. Once you shut down the valve, you need to open the outside faucet to allow all the remaining water to drain. Then, disconnect the hose and close the faucet. If you\u2019re not sure how to complete this task \u2014 maybe you recently moved, and you can\u2019t locate the outdoor water valve \u2014 you should call a plumber. Outdoor frozen faucets can cause the pipes and the valve located inside your home to burst, and you might end up being flooded in the middle of the winter.<\/p>\n

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<\/span>3. Put away the garden furniture and tools<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

From tables and chairs to a lawnmower, gardening tools<\/a> or a barbecue grill, all essentially summer items need to be put away in a dry, safe place until spring. Leaving them outside throughout the entire winter will cause damage. Most people, however, don\u2019t have enough space in their garage for all of them. Renting a self storage unit<\/a> would offer you the extra space you need for all those items, while also allowing you to comfortably park your car inside the garage.<\/p>\n

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<\/span>4. Prep your <\/strong>garage<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/h2>\n

Inspect your garage door to make sure it closes properly. Add weather stripping around it if there\u2019s a lot of cold air coming in. Protect the water pipes with some type of insulating material, particularly if the garage is not heated. Make sure you have a snow shovel at hand and buy some salt for your driveway. To avoid melting snow from damaging your garage floor, invest in some good quality garage mats<\/a> or, at the very least, get a squeegee and use it to get the snow melt out of your garage.<\/p>\n

<\/span>5. Repair and maintain the outside areas of the house<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Clean your driveway and alleyway with a high-pressure cleaner. Fix any cracks or gaps you notice. You can also apply a driveway sealer to protect your driveway from water and salt penetration. If you have a wooden deck or porch, inspect it for loose boards, protruding nails, paint or varnish coat peeling and so on. Remedy the issues and apply a new layer of paint and sealant.<\/p>\n

<\/span>6. Insulate your interior<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Good quality insulation on a house is extremely important \u2014 it prevents energy waste and high heating bills while also keeping you comfortable in your home. If your dwelling\u2019s insulation has not been updated in a while, you should definitely consider a large-scale project to address the problem at some point.<\/p>\n

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However, in the meantime, there are some easy-to-do, inexpensive improvements:<\/strong><\/p>\n