It’s freeze time in West Texas. It’s been a wonderful fall. Now it’s cold at night.
While we still have some fairly warm day time temperatures to work in, here are some helpful ideas for preparing your home for the winter season.
Starting outside, put away or cover your patio furniture. It’s surprising how much one winter of exposure reduces the life of furniture and fixtures.
Drain the gas from your lawn mower, weed trimmer and any other gas powered equipment. If you’re not able to drain them, be sure to add a gas stabilizer to the tank. On a warm day in the winter, it doesn’t hurt to go start up these engines and run them for a bit.
If you have bird baths and water fountains in your yard, drain them and unplug them.
If you have a wood deck, a warm fall day is perfect for cleaning it and applying a fresh coat of sealer. Products like Thompson’s Water Seal penetrate the wood and form a moisture barrier, prolonging the life of your wood deck. Your deck will hold up to the weather much better with this added protection.
If you have a sprinkler system in your lawn, drain the water from the pipes and turn off the water supply. Also, using a pressurized air tank, blow any excess water out of the lines. This will prevent any expansion during a freeze that could crack or break your pipes.
Drain any garden hoses and store them.
If you have an air conditioning unit on the back or side of your home, use your leaf blower to blow out any dirt and leaves. Then spray it cleaner with a garden hose. After it dries, cover the unit with a breathable cover to keep out snow and other moisture during the winter. We don’t often think to do this but it helps prevent rust and keeps the winter out.