Winter can be a lovely season. You can cozy up inside with a blanket and some tea, or with a good book or a movie. While the rain, snow, or sleet falls against your home, you can be inside safe and cozy. However, it can be difficult to enjoy the beauty of winter when your home is poorly maintained. Every fall, as winter prepares to come, homes need to be prepared to last the winter and remain in good condition. Unfortunately, if you don't follow these maintenance tasks beforehand, it can be too late to adequately prepare for winter. So, to enjoy the winter season and maintain the quality of your home, it's imperative that you plan in advance and tackle winter home and garden maintenance issues. Here are a few simple winter maintenance tips to prepare for the season.
Repair or replace windows
To keep the inside of your home nice and safe come winter, consider replacing any single-pane windows with an energy efficient variety. If you don't replace them, you should probably repair them. Even if your windows look great, all it takes is the frame being the tiniest bit off and a significant amount of winter air will slowly leak into your home. Inefficient windows cause discomfort, a rise to your heating bill, and possibly rot to your home. Save yourself from these issues by ensuring that your home has secure windows in place.
Weather-strip your doors
During the winter, doors can have the same detrimental effect as windows. Cold air can creep into your home from underneath your doors. If you weather-strip your door, you'll keep the chilly air at bay, and you'll be doing yourself - and your home - a big favor.
Place potted plants out of the wind
If your potted plants can survive being dry (or if you'll water them), you can place them inside your home, garage, or shed. Otherwise, make sure to move your potted plants to an area where they won't be subjected to excessive wind, such as inside a patio wall. Wind can take a severe toll on the fragile leaves of many potted plants; thus, it's important that you get your fauna out of harm's way.
Patch your concrete
If you have concrete around your house - such as in your driveway or patio - then you should patch it immediately. When winter comes, those cracks will fill up with water, and, depending on the area you live in, that water will then freeze. When water freezes, of course, it expands. This ice will expand from inside your concrete, possibly causing some serious damage.
Insulate
It's imperative that you properly insulate your home near any water pipes. Otherwise, these water pipes can freeze and crack, which can be a gigantic headache. So, make sure that you take the time to insulate around your water pipes.
With these winter maintenance tips, you can get your home and garden ready for the cold months ahead. Then you can be carefree while you stay inside, enjoying the cozy, indoor climate.
This article was provided by Chase Roberts, home and garden expert. Once your house unthaws after a long, cold winter, Chase recommends Beautify Your Concrete for your next concrete overlay to revive those weathered, cracked outdoor concrete area of yours.
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