For whatever reason, a lot of people forget to winterize their homes. It’s only after an issue arises that they think about what they should have done. Doing a few things will go a long way to prevent problems. Most importantly, take care of the outside along with the inside. Ultimately, you’ll be glad you did.
Drain and Switch Gas in Small Engines
This includes your lawn mower, chainsaw, compactor, and so on. To prepare for the winter, use all of the gas or drain it. Then, add non-oxygenated gas, as well as a fuel stabilizer. Then, allow the engine to run for about 10 minutes. When done, you can store the item. Leaving regular gas in the tank can damage the carburetor.
Disconnect and Store Garden Hoses
Of all the things that people overlook when winterizing their homes, this is the most common. As the outside temperatures become colder, you need to disconnect all of the garden hoses. Next, drain them, followed by storing them in a garage, shed, or basement. Because if you leave them attached and the temperature drops, any water inside the hoses can freeze.
Depending on how cold it is outside, not only could that split the hoses but also cause the spigot to burst. In extreme cases, pipes also burst, which then creates a major mess.
Winterize Your Pressure Washer
If you own a pressure washer, it, too, needs winterizing. Start by draining the water from the pump. From there, disconnect the hoses. Finally, pour or spray antifreeze in it. After all, if you don’t do these things, the power washer might not work properly once spring approaches.
Have Your Attic Vents Cleaned
You might not realize, but if your home’s attic doesn’t have proper ventilation, an ice dam could form. For one thing, that’ll cause your summer cooling bill to rise. In addition, that can increase the risk of mold. Besides that, ice dams can cause the shingles on your house to deteriorate prematurely.
Get a Chimney Inspection Done
As part of the winterizing process, have an expert inspect your chimney to make sure it doesn’t pose any threats. Remember, every time that you enjoy a fire in the fireplace, creosote begins to accumulate inside the chimney. If not removed, it creates a fire risk.
As a good rule of thumb, have a professional inspect your chimney every 70 fires. Now, if you burn wet wood, whether intentionally or accidentally, have the chimney inspected every 50 fires instead.
Prepare Your Gas Grill for the Winter
Besides garden hoses, this is another thing that people overlook. During the summer, there’s nothing better than grilling outside. However, if you want to continue to do this, you’ll need to winterize the grill.
First, turn the gas off on the tank. Second, spray cooking oil on metal parts, including the burners. Third, place a cover over the grill. With these things done, you can fire up your grill once the weather turns warm.
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Protect the Air-Conditioning Unit
A common myth is that you should cover the entire unit during the winter. However, all you need to do is place some type of cover over the top. For that, you can use a thick piece of wood cut to size. That’ll help protect the blades.
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