The snow, wind, and ice can cause some serious damage to the outside of your home – especially during our long Canadian winters. Taking time to get it ready and prepared is essential to avoid dealing with any damage and repairs come spring. When it’s time to address that outdoor to-do list, here are some final steps to prepare your home’s exterior for winter.
Put Away Garden Equipment & Protect Plants
Before the first frost arrives, we recommend taking some time to tuck your garden and plants away from the winter. Rake up any leaves so they don’t weigh down and damage your turf or plants. Apply a generous amount of mulch to protect the roots and soil in your garden. Use burlap to wrap and protect any young trees or shrubs from the wind and cold.
Repair Unstable Surfaces
If you have interlock or patio stones along your walkway and steps, now’s the time to replace any crumbling stones or areas that are loose and uneven. Once the ground gets covered in ice and snow, these areas can create potential slip and fall hazards. So it’s a good idea to have them repaired and replaced now.
Pressure Washing
Towards the latter end of fall, before the temperatures dip below freezing, give your patio stones, deck and walkways a good wash with a pressure hose. This will remove any mould, mildew or algae which can cause damage to the surfaces over time.
Drain & Cover Water Features
If you have any water features, these should be drained and turned off well before the temperatures hit the freezing mark. Also, use the appropriate cover recommended by the installer to protect your water features from the heavy snow.
Clean Your Gutters
Once all the leaves have fallen, don’t forget to clean out your gutters! The accumulation of leaves and moisture can end up blocking your eaves trough, which can cause water to pool and freeze. This can end up damaging to the roof, gutter system, and even the foundation of your home.
With the winter in close view, now’s the time to get these final steps done to prepare your home’s exterior for winter. If you’d rather leave your to-do tasks to someone else, give us a call! At Green Grow, we offer landscape, interlock, and maintenance services so you can dedicate your time to what matters and leave the tedious maintenance duties up to us. Call us today!