Colder weather is setting in with fall and winter just around the corner. At this time of year, there are a few key ways you need to be maintaining your home in preparation.
With fall arriving soon and winter on the horizon, it’s time to talk about the ways you can prepare your home for the later seasons of the year. Taking care of your home during fall and winter months is an important part of year-round maintenance.
First of all, caulking and sealing your driveway is very important—especially before winter. When this is done, a penetrating sealer is applied to the garage floor and driveway in order to prevent road salts or brine from seeping into your concrete. Winter weather means that salt and brine will collect on your tires from the road—a driveway that isn’t sealed properly will absorb these materials and eventually sustain both cosmetic and practical damage.
Caulking the control joints, especially on homes facing north or east, is going to allow you to keep moisture from collecting beneath the slab of your driveway. If too much water collects and freezes beneath your driveway, it can result in a process called frost heave.
Frost heave occurs when an increasing amount of ice grows to the point where the above layers of ground, in this case concrete, are lifted. This can cause the driveway to crack and even become unlevel next to the garage floor.
There are also things you can do to maintain your yard in the fall and winter months. September is a great time to apply a fall fertilizer as well as an overseeding of the yard. Rye, a fescue/bluegrass mix, or just straight bluegrass are all great options for most yards.
Right up against buildings, such as along the foundation of the garage, you may notice dirt settlement. To fix this, you could either pull back the sod, apply dirt, and relay, or you could simply cover it up by reseeding over the top of the problem areas.
. First of all, caulking and sealing your driveway is very important—especially before winter. When this is done, a penetrating sealer is applied to the garage floor and driveway in order to prevent road salts or brine from seeping into your concrete. Winter weather means that salt and brine will collect on your tires from the road—a driveway that isn’t sealed properly will absorb these materials and eventually sustain both cosmetic and practical damage.
Caulking the control joints, especially on homes facing north or east, is going to allow you to keep moisture from collecting beneath the slab of your driveway. If too much water collects and freezes beneath your driveway, it can result in a process called frost heave.
Frost heave occurs when an increasing amount of ice grows to the point where the above layers of ground, in this case concrete, are lifted. This can cause the driveway to crack and even become unlevel next to the garage floor.
There are also things you can do to maintain your yard in the fall and winter months. September is a great time to apply a fall fertilizer as well as an overseeding of the yard. Rye, a fescue/bluegrass mix, or just straight bluegrass are all great options for most yards.
Right up against buildings, such as along the foundation of the garage, you may notice dirt settlement. To fix this, you could either pull back the sod, apply dirt, and relay, or you could simply cover it up by reseeding over the top of the problem areas.
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Taking care of your home during fall and winter months is an important part of year-round maintenance.
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Insects will also become an issue during the cooler months. Be sure to spray for any insects trying to find their way inside your home. You could either seek professional help or purchase an over-the-counter spray yourself. Spiders are the pest that people primarily look out for. One of the best places to spray is between the foundation and siding, since that is where spiders and other pests will often find their way in.
If you have access to a pressure washer, clean the siding of any spiderwebs. You can also achieve this with a regular garden hose. Remember to be especially careful when doing this on vinyl siding, since the layers could peel and disconnect. After your house is clean and dry will be the best time to do a perimeter spray for insects. You can treat your lawn to repel bugs, as well.
Additionally, make sure that all the proper areas on and around your home are tightly sealed. This will prevent larger pests like rodents from entering your home. Make sure patio doors, garage doors, and other similar features are properly sealed.
If your house is equipped with wooden fences or decks, consider sealing these as well. Gently power washing your deck before you apply any stain can help to restore the natural vibrancy of the wood. If you don’t own a power washer, you can also use a deck wash from any local hardware store in conjunction with your garden hose.
Fireplace vents are another place to check before fall and winter months arrive. Check for bird nests here and in exhaust and fresh-air intake pipes. It is important to remove any nests from areas like these. You could use a leaf blower or garden hose to help remove the smaller pieces from the vent.
Finally, clean the coils of your air conditioning unit. Rinsing out any possible debris will help them to stay in better condition.
If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
If you have access to a pressure washer, clean the siding of any spiderwebs. You can also achieve this with a regular garden hose. Remember to be especially careful when doing this on vinyl siding, since the layers could peel and disconnect. After your house is clean and dry will be the best time to do a perimeter spray for insects. You can treat your lawn to repel bugs, as well.
Additionally, make sure that all the proper areas on and around your home are tightly sealed. This will prevent larger pests like rodents from entering your home. Make sure patio doors, garage doors, and other similar features are properly sealed.
If your house is equipped with wooden fences or decks, consider sealing these as well. Gently power washing your deck before you apply any stain can help to restore the natural vibrancy of the wood. If you don’t own a power washer, you can also use a deck wash from any local hardware store in conjunction with your garden hose.
Fireplace vents are another place to check before fall and winter months arrive. Check for bird nests here and in exhaust and fresh-air intake pipes. It is important to remove any nests from areas like these. You could use a leaf blower or garden hose to help remove the smaller pieces from the vent.
Finally, clean the coils of your air conditioning unit. Rinsing out any possible debris will help them to stay in better condition.
If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
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