When the days start getting shorter, and the cold starts to come in, you might find yourself ready to settle down, too. But, don’t get too comfortable. If you want to save yourself a lot of headache and hassle, you need to do some preparation before the worst of the cold presents itself. Here are some things you should never forget to do before winter comes.
Cover the Hose Bib
Hose bibs are faucets on the outside of your house that allow you to access water for a hose. While the pipes are insulated from some of the cold weather because they’re in the walls of the house, that alone is not enough to protect them from freezing. If you don’t cover the hose bib, the freezing air can freeze the water in the pipes, causing them to burst.
When choosing a hose bib cover, make sure you measure what size you’ll need. You’ll want a cover that sits completely flush against the house, so water and cold air aren’t able to get in.
Flush Irrigation System
Turning off the water supply to your irrigation system won’t be enough to protect it during the winter. Another necessary step to take when preparing your system for winter is insulating any above-ground pipes. Finally, you need to flush your irrigation system. Flushing the system will remove any water in it that could potentially freeze. If you don’t want to do it yourself, you can have a company that does irrigation system maintenance Pittsburgh PA do it for you.
Clean the Gutters
When you don’t keep the gutters clean during the winter, it means that melting snow doesn’t have anywhere to go. Then, when the standing water on your roof freezes, it creates dams under the shingles and causes a whole array of other problems. Additionally, if the water builds up in the gutter, it can freeze and cause damage to the gutter system.
