The crisp air and beautiful foliage of autumn signal more than just pumpkin spice season—it’s the last chance to protect your home from winter’s brutal chill, heavy snow, and destructive freeze-thaw cycles.
Prepping your home’s exterior now is the #1 way to prevent expensive damage, ensure energy efficiency, and save yourself major headaches next spring.
Here is your essential, room-by-room guide to winterizing your outdoor space.
Phase 1: Water Management & Freeze Prevention (Critical!)
Water is the biggest threat to your home in winter. Use the mild fall weather to seal up vulnerabilities before the first hard freeze hits.
- Clean Gutters & Downspouts: Remove all leaves, pine needles, and shingle grit. Clogged gutters can lead to damaging ice dams when snow melts and refreezes, causing water to back up under your roof.
- Inspect Your Roof: Use binoculars to check for any missing, curled, or cracked shingles. Also, inspect the flashing around chimneys and vents. Address minor repairs now, before a winter storm turns them into major leaks.
- Drain Outdoor Faucets & Hoses: This is non-negotiable! Disconnect all garden hoses from spigots. Turn off the water supply to all exterior faucets using the interior shut-off valve, then open the outdoor spigot to drain any standing water. (Failure to do this can cause pipes inside your walls to freeze and burst.)
- Winterize the Sprinkler System: If you have an in-ground irrigation system, you need to have the lines blown out with an air compressor to remove all standing water.
- Check Grading: Walk your perimeter to ensure the soil slopes away from your foundation, directing rain and melting snow away from the basement.
Phase 2: Structural Sealing & Protection
Close up the small gaps that let cold air in and allow water to creep where it shouldn’t.
- Seal Windows & Doors: Check and replace worn-out weatherstripping and caulk around all exterior window and door frames. This is a simple fix that significantly lowers your heating bill.
- Inspect Foundation & Driveway: Look for any cracks in your foundation, walkways, or driveway. Fill and seal these areas immediately! If water sits in cracks, the freeze-thaw cycle will expand them into huge, costly problems.
- Check Siding & Paint: Walk around the house and look for any loose, cracked, or missing siding. Touch up any peeling exterior paint, which is your home’s main defense against moisture damage.
- Trim Trees & Shrubs: Prune back any dead or overhanging tree branches that could snap under the weight of heavy ice or snow and damage your roof or property.
Phase 3: Yard & Equipment Prep (The Last Landscape Call)
Since we’re Venetia Landscape Supply, we know the yard needs attention, too! This is your final chance to set up a successful spring.
- The Lawn’s Final Prep: Rake or mulch all fallen leaves. Complete your final mow at a lower height (2-2.5 inches) and apply a specialized winterizer fertilizer to strengthen roots through dormancy.
- Protect Perennials & Beds: Apply a fresh 2-3 inch layer of Mulch around delicate plants and garden beds to insulate roots from the brutal temperature swings. Need mulch? We’ve got the best.
- Store Furniture & Decor: Clean, cover, or store all outdoor cushions, furniture, and ceramic planters to prevent weather damage and cracking.
- Winterize Power Equipment: Clean your lawnmower and gas-powered tools. Run the gas tank dry or add fuel stabilizer before storing to prevent stale gas from gumming up your engine over winter.
- Ready Snow Supplies: Inspect your snow blower and shovel. Stock up on rock salt or pet-safe ice melt before the first snowflake flies.
What’s the one task on this list you’re tackling first this week? Head to Venetia Landscape Supply to get a head start on your Fall To-Do List.