Winter comes no matter when you’re ready. One day you might be enjoying the crisp, fall air, and the next, your gutters are frozen solid, and your lawn looks more like a mud pit from all the leaves that dropped overnight. But getting ahead of things before the bitter cold really sets in makes all the difference.

People do not consider their home exterior until there’s an issue. Problem is, when winter comes, it exposes every weakness in your system. That driveway crack you’ve been meaning to fix? Well, it will now be ten times worse. That pile of wet leaves against your foundation? It will be a problem you don’t recognize until spring. But if you handle everything now, you’ll be able to spend winter enjoying yourself instead of working outside in the freezing cold with gloved hands trying to feel your tools.

Gutters (or Else They’ll Ice Over)

You rarely think about gutters until water pours over the side or there’s an ice build-up along your roofline. Your gutters should be clean and straight, and the downspouts should push water away from your foundation so it doesn’t pool.

If you have trees surrounding your home that lose leaves later in the season, you may need to clean them out more than once before winter. Clogged gutters mean that when water freezes, it becomes ice dams that destroy roofs and siding, or worse, melts unevenly and creates icicles.

While you’re at it, check your roof. If shingles are missing or there’s damage to the flashing, such issues only get worse with snow and ice.

Leaves (And Everything Else in the Yard)

No one likes seeing dead leaves on their lawn. They are unsightly. But they also create dead spots in your grass, provide cool resting pads for pests, and keep moisture against your foundation which creates mold.

The go-to is to rake them up, but raking can be a tedious task that makes your back hurt for days. A Worx Leaf Blower can do the same task in a fraction of the time, plus save you from a sore back. Blowers are ideal for clearing leaves out of corners, around bushes, and off decks or patios where leaves love to collect.

Once leaves are gone, check for branches that should come down (especially if they’re dead), plan for any outdoor furniture that needs storing (and the items that can stay outside), and ensure garden hoses are turned off and put away (there’s no such thing as a thawed-out garden hose come spring once frozen).

Cracks in the Driveway and Walks

Concrete isn’t too forgiving once water gets in. It’s resilient until it isn’t. When water gets into cracks and freezes, bad things happen. Seal any cracks now before they worsen.

Pay attention to grading around the house. The ground should be slanted so water does not pool at your foundation after it rains; it should flow away. If you’ve got low spots near windows or other vulnerable areas where water collects after a rainstorm, you must act before the ground freezes. Adding dirt might be a suitable solution; another may be to blend landscaping so the grading is less severe toward the house.

Walkways deserve time and attention, too. Now is the time to replacement loose pavers before they become tripping hazards under snow or ice; now is the time to even out uneven surfaces before you hurt yourself walking through them.

Faucets and Irrigation

There is nothing worse than frozen pipes; those pipes burst; they create leaks that become expensive repairs come spring when it’s time to assess what’s happened over winter.

Turn off any outdoor faucets from your home’s foundation level if possible; open the outdoor faucet spouts to let excess water drain out. Some people go so far as to buy foam faucet covers to protect them, but for how cheap they are, it’s suggested just to do it.

If you have an irrigation system, it needs to be winterized; that usually means blowing out the lines so there’s no excess water; you can hire someone to do this via compressor, or if you’re handy enough, you can rent one yourself. Either way, don’t skip this step.

Clean What You Can

Mildew, dirt and grime builds up on your home’s siding, deck, and drive throughout the year; don’t give it a chance to flourish through winter when moisture can cause deeper problems. Power wash every exterior aspect of your home so all is ready to go when facing the January thaw come March.

Power washers are perfect tools to get this done in a few hours’ time instead of wasting a weekend or more scrubbing away with nothing but surface debris. Don’t use too strong pressure because you don’t want to break anything; areas like wood decks, vinyl siding, brick steps and cement driveways all respond well to pressure washing pre-winter.

Pay specific attention to areas without sun exposure; these will attract mildew quicker and faster if dirt sits on them throughout winter.

Windows and Doors

Cold air has a way of slipping through every crevice possible; make sure things like windows and doors are air-tight so heating doesn’t escape. Caulking needs to be checked; weatherstripping needs to be intact. If not, dry-rotted pieces need replacement because it’s not just uncomfortable; it’s an excess heating bill.

If there are storm windows/doors available for use, make sure they’re installed before winter hits hard. Even if they’re not available for use, storm-windows need to be in good condition – replace cracked glass and ensure all locks work as needed.

Branches

Trees provide shade but they can also be dangerous in winter when their branches hang too close to your siding or roofing. Trim anything within three feet of your home because branches will fall due to snow and ice or create problems at water-level with their trunks against the cement.

If any large branches fall or trees themselves are dead or dying, now is the time to address them – better on your own accord than during an unexpected storm when it could fall on your home.

Bottom Line

Preparing your exterior for winter is hard work – and none of it is glamorous – but better to do it now while it’s cold than be stuck doing it when it’s freezing outside for emergency repairs due to disheveled gutters and flooded basements.

Much of this does not require skilled labor – it merely requires a couple of weekends of everyone’s time with motivation to do it now instead of later. Less work equals better living potential when winter runs its course – and anything we can do ahead of time will make spring prep so much easier.