How to prepare for winter – A guide for Mid-Atlantic homeowners

Dawn KruegerLandscaping

Pruning branches

If you are a Mid-Atlantic homeowner, you will have to be ready to face somewhat harsh winters in the upcoming winter season. As autumn rolls in, it’s time to get fully ready to face the winter. Then you can overcome the hassle and keep peace of mind throughout the snow season. Here are some useful tips that you can follow to prepare your property for winter.

Winterize your lawn irrigation/sprinkler system 

Remove any remaining water from an outside sprinkler system before the first frost to prevent it from expanding and cracking the pipes. The water should be blown out using compressed air by an irrigation professional, which is your best option. Consult the company’s website if you’d rather give it a try yourself. The procedure often entails turning off the water supply before opening the drainage valves at the lowest point of the irrigation system, which is typically in the basement, to let water drain.

Prevent the freezing of door locks

Spray some powdered graphite lubrication through each door lock if you’ve ever encountered this issue or if you live in a very cold area. Then, turn your keys in the door. The powder, which is available at hardware shops, lubricates the lock’s pins to keep them from sticking. Just once per season.

Clean your gutters 

The debris may freeze into a large, ice mass if they are blocked by leaves, which might cause the roof’s shingles to get damaged. Grab a sturdy ladder and some work gloves, then clear away the debris to allow the water to escape. Ensure that you are at ease using a ladder and bring a friend along to assist it if necessary. Although a leaf blower helps speed up the process, you might still need to employ your hands to complete it. Do you prefer to hire a handyman? Usually, the service lasts two hours.

Examine tree branches

Check your property for any branches that are growing over any power lines, the driveway, the garage, or the home. Those might fall during a storm and do significant damage. Branches rubbing against one another may also break. Also look for symptoms of dead limbs, such as dead leaves that are still connected to the tree even after the rest of it has lost them, many smooth places where the bark has fallen off, or regions where mushrooms have developed. Don’t hesitate to see an arborist if you notice something unusual. Pruning trees before winter keeps them healthy and also reduces the risk of damage to nearby property.

Insulate all pipes 

A possible danger is any open pipe that travels along walls or is located in an unheated place such as a crawl space or basement. Temperatures under 32 degrees F might cause a pipe to rupture because the water within will freeze and expand. Using pipe insulation to protect them is simple. Purchase it from the hardware store; it resembles a huge slit-shaped strand of spaghetti. If necessary, attach it with duct tape after cutting it to match the pipe’s length.

Inspect the furnace

Hire an HVAC expert to check your furnace before the start of winter to make sure it is running safely and effectively. The specialist will disassemble the burners, check all the connections and sensors, and change the filter. Check the filter which slides in every month and change it when it gets brown or black to maintain the appliance functioning properly. Choose a pleated filter instead of a flat one since it offers a larger surface area for catching particles.

Get the fireplace swept

Because created soot and creosote may catch fire, if you use a timber fireplace and over six times each year, you ought to have it done professionally and inspected by a licensed chimney sweep every year. An inspection in three years is enough if you almost ever use your fireplace or it is gas.

Check for and seal drafts

Hold a lighted candle along each baseboard and windowsill. Can you see it flicker? That indicates a draft, and you may improve your home’s energy efficiency by removing each draft. Use a paper towel to wipe and dry any area around baseboards. After that, use a consistent bead of white or clear graphic image caulking to close any gaps between both the border and the floor. After smoothing with a moist finger, wipe away any extra substance with a damp towel. You can also install new weatherproof stripping all around to seal drafty doors and windows.

Mulch gardens and flower beds

All of your flower beds should have a 2-3 inch layer of hardwood mulch added before the worst winter temperatures arrive. At this time of year, mulching aids in controlling seasonal variations in soil temperature. The mulch serves as insulation, protecting the plants from upcoming very low temperatures. Without it, plants risk dying and their roots can be seriously damaged from the cold.

Splitting and cutting back perennials

An aggressive cutback is recommended for the majority of perennial deciduous plants that drop their leaves yearly. Plants should be pruned to between two and three inches from the ground with clippers or even a hedge trimmer. This not only neatens up the appearance of your garden but also gets rid of places where dangerous insects might live before emerging during the spring development.

  • Sprinklers for drains

Remove any remaining water from an outside sprinkler system before the first frost to prevent it from expanding and cracking the pipes. The water should be blown out using compressed air by an irrigation professional, which is your best option. Consult the internet if you’d rather give it a try yourself. In most cases, the procedure entails turning off the water supply before opening the drainage valves at the base of the irrigation canal to let the water drain.

Follow these tips and we guarantee that you can stay away from hassle in the upcoming winter. They can also help you to save a considerable amount of money and get rid of unexpected surprises. If you would like to explore seasonal services with Rasevic, contact us anytime.