Karen Isaac, Nederland. This is the time of year we see squirrels and chipmunks running around like crazy gathering food for winter. We in the mountains don’t need to gather food, but we do need to prepare for the coming season. Your primary focus needs to be on the exterior of your house and property at this time of year.
Here are some things to consider:
Exterior house condition: Will all the exterior surfaces of your home withstand another winter? If not, try to take care of this as best you can by getting your home re-stained, painted etc. If there is no time left, then schedule a professional now for next spring. They get very backed up in the summer and are planning their schedules for 2019 now. Maybe your log home needs re-chinking. This is very important in order to keep out wind, moisture and critters. Perhaps you need new weather stripping on your exterior doors. All of these fixes will help keep your utility bills down.
Batten down the hatches: Now is also time to make sure nothing can blow away. That could mean fireplace stacks, shingles on the roof and loose boards of any kind on the exterior of your home. The wind hits some of us hard while others only get hit when they come to town. I am of the former. Store away as much of your patio furniture as you can and/or tie it down somehow. You don’t need a lawn chair coming through your beautiful picture window this winter.
Non-slip surfaces: Prepare your entryways into the house with non-slip indoor/outdoor mats. Bed, Bath and Beyond has them right now, at good prices too! Are there outside surfaces that are going to be dangerous this winter for slipping and sliding on the ice? You can buy strips of sandpaper specifically made for the stairs. Also, take the time to notice where water tends to pool and fill those areas up with gravel or any non-slippery surface.
Windows: Check that all of your windows close properly. If not, do whatever is required to lock them tightly this winter. Some people use quilted shades or curtains for additional insulation.
Plumbing: Do you have pipes that could freeze easily? Wrap heated or insulating tape around vulnerable pipes. Turn off all your outdoor water faucets, unhook the hoses and store them away till spring. Talk to a local professional about what needs to be done.
It is also a great time to get your furnace serviced before you need it. When temps are below zero and your furnace goes out, it is too late.
Power Outages: This has been happening less in the last five years or so, but make sure you have flashlights, not candles, for when the power goes out. Now is the time to use that woodstove for real. Make sure you already have firewood close by. If you are on a well, have some stored water to use at this time. You can also fill up a bathtub with water when major storms are forecasted, because without power your well pump will not be working.
Even though we don’t go out into nature to gather our food, it is always good to have extra food in your pantry for those times when you don’t have any utilities, or you get snowed in. I have had some of the best times in my life when snowed in. It is an unexpected holiday! Naturally there are more items to take care of; these are a few of the more important ones. I have left out the mice on purpose. They need their own dedicated column.
Our mountain weather is not to be taken lightly. As I have heard many times:”These mountains are not for the faint of heart!”
Karen Isaac of RE/MAX Alliance can be reached at 303-335-9040 or contacted through www.karenisaac.com.
