Prepare Your Home for Winter in Reunion Colorado
With winter coming up, all you new homeowners out there might be wondering "What does this mean I have to do with my house?". We've pulled together a few tips and tricks for you to help get your yard and home ready for winter. If we missed any, let us know: info@reunion-colorado.com.
- If you have a sprinkler system, get it turned off and blown out. There's nothing worse than turning your sprinklers on in the spring and finding they froze and broke over the winter, causing you to flood your yard. You can use an air-compressor or have a professional service come do it for you for around $50.
- Close any vents on the outside of your house that lead to your basement. These are great for ventilation in the summer, but can be a hinderence to heating your home in the winter.
- Pour some winterizer fertilizer on your lawn. A bag to cover a 3000 sq ft lawn costs about $7 at a hardware store. Be careful not to get any on your sidewalk or driveway as the iron in it will cause streaks on your concrete. Be sure to sweep any surrounding areas when you're done applying.
- Drain your garden hoses and bring them inside. Check to make sure there isn't any standing water near the outdoor faucets and that they are completely shut off. If you have a shut-off valve for your outdoor faucets, you should close this.
- If you don't have a carbon monoxide detector installed, you should strongly consider getting one. With our homes being closed up tight to conserve energy, you're at a higher risk of carbon monoixde poisoning than during the summer. If you already have one installed, check the batteries and run a quick test to make sure it's working properly.
- Change your heater's filters. This will improve airflow and increase the efficiency of your heating system.
- And lastly, be sure you are stocked up with rock salt, shovels, snow blowers, and plent of extra food & water. I'm sure all you existing home-owners remember what last winter was like when you could baerly get out of your driveways! It's a long enough drive to a local grocery store, I don't even want to imagine how long it would take you to walk there in 3 feet of snow. :)