In Montana Winterization is KEY!

As sad as it is to admit, winter will be here in a flash!  I do love the crisp air and fluffy snow floating down from the sky though, and am gearing up for it with home chores to button things up before the frigid days descend.  For those of you from out of state, or coming from warmer areas, or have simply lived here for a while and don’t think of these things until it’s too late, here are some winterizing tips to consider in the next few weeks.

1.  Winterize your lawn irrigation and garden systems.  You can YouTube how to do this yourself, or contact one of many landscaping and irrigation companies locally.  It’s vitally important to have this done prior to the first real freeze, as valves, sprinklers, and lines with any residual water in them will freeze and break, causing you repairs in the spring.

2.  Remove all hoses from hose bibs, and winterize any faucets that aren’t designated frost-free.

3. Have HVAC, water heaters and water treatment systems serviced if they haven’t been serviced in the past 3 years.  If they have, change your furnace filters (should be done about every three months), and refill salt in your water treatment systems, so you’re not lugging around bags of salt in the snow and ice.  Also replace under-sink water treatment filters.

4. Spray your home’s perimeter for insects, as spiders and other bugs find ways to enter your home when the weather turns cold.  A good product to use which is pet safe when it dries is Spectracide Bug Stop Home Barrier. Invest in a battery powered sprayer, and you’ll save time and energy to complete your job in no time.  You can also contact local pest control companies, for a significantly higher cost, and they have a tendency to use products that are much harsher on the environment and pets.  Also, seal any holes in your siding and where utilities enter, so bugs can’t wiggle in.

5. Have your windows cleaned inside and out. A few drops of ultra-concentrated Dawn dish soap in a bucket of warm water, a squeegee, and a clean microfiber towel for drips and streaks is the best way to get them squeaky clean.  There is nothing better than watching the snow fall, and wildlife come through, with a clear view!  Clean sliding window and door tracks, so they don’t get gummy when the weather gets cold.

6. Clean your floor heating vents, fresh air intake, and dryer vents.  This keeps the airflow at its highest, and removes possible lint that could become flammable.  Also clean your bath vents, as they get full of lint, and if the lint travels to the exterior vent release and gets wet, the vent can freeze closed.  This is not difficult to remedy if you have a one story home, but if you have a two story, it’s requires getting on a ladder in the snow and cold, to defrost the outside vent enough to let the flapper move again.

7.  Clean and seal your hard surface counters with a bees wax product or food grade mineral oil.  Winter is a time for lots of cooking and baking, which takes a toll on your granite and quartzite surfaces.

8.  Mow your grass one last time, and make it as short as possible, which will make it easier for your lawn to see the sun in spring, and grow fast and green.

9.  Rake the leaves before the first hard freeze or snow, otherwise you’ll be stuck with them degrading in your lawn or on your driveway.  They will be super slippery in the spring break-up and nearly impossible to remove at that point.

Okey dokey, get to it, and enjoy the last of these great fall days we’ve been having!

Carmen Hobson

Broker/Owner

Touchstone Real Estate Montana

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