When it’s starting to turn cold, there are a few things you should do to your home to make sure it’s ready for the icy cold that’s coming.
- Clean your gutters. They trap debris all year long. Make sure they’re clear so you don’t have icicles build up in specific places where the gutters overflow. It helps prevent ice dams that trap water on your roof, which then causes water intrusion damage.
- Fertilize your lawn. The greenest spring lawns are made in the fall. Put down some potassium-rich fertilizer that will help sustain your lawn. For your last mow of the year, trim a little shorter so your grass doesn’t mat under the snow.
- Protect your lawn mower. It’s also a good idea to drain the gasoline out of your lawn mower and replace it with a winterized fuel with fuel stabilizer.
- Shut off your sprinklers. Shut off the water to your sprinkler system, and set your controller to “Off.” This will prevent water freezing and bursting in your sprinkler lines.
- Detach hoses. Unscrew your hoses from the spigots. Freezing temperatures can freeze and burst hoses. If a hose is connected to the house, it’s common for water to freeze in the hose, then freeze and burst in the pipe.
Winterizing