The winterizing tag has no wiki summary.
25
votes
11answers
3k views
What are the “must do” tasks before winter hits?
I've had my furnace serviced in time for winter, but what other things should I consider doing before the snow and the ice come?
13
votes
3answers
7k views
Should I cover my air conditioner for winter?
Should I cover my air conditioner for winter? It's difficult to find an appropriate cover, but finding a cover for an evaporation cooler is easy (and because they allow for air flow from the outdoors, ...
7
votes
1answer
544 views
How long can I wait before staining a new deck?
I just moved into a new (well, old) house. The previous owners put in a deck probably about 1 year ago. It's treated lumber, but they hadn't yet stained it. Winter is approaching quickly here in ...
6
votes
4answers
2k views
How should I drain fuel from my mower?
I have a Honda lawn mower (HRX217K2VKA) and I want to drain the fuel for winter. How should I do this? Three options spring to mind:
Run the engine until the fuel is gone.
Tip the mower to pour the ...
6
votes
2answers
3k views
How do I fill a hole under a sidewalk?
The sidewalk leading up to my front door developed what looked like a sink hole under it about a year ago. Since then, an animal of some kind has made the hole even bigger and it now runs as a tunnel ...
6
votes
1answer
388 views
How do I “un-winterize” my sprinkler system?
I just moved into a house in which the sprinkler system has been winterized. I want to get it going again, but I'm not sure what to do about these four valves here.
The previous owner told me that ...
5
votes
8answers
22k views
Why does significant condensation gather on my bedroom windows overnight?
When we wake up in the morning, we're observing a significant amount of condensation on the bedroom windows around the edges on the inside (inside the house not between the panes). We had new windows ...
5
votes
4answers
626 views
What is the most economical and energy-efficient way to winterize windows?
We have vinyl windows (mostly double-paned) and live in a shady greenbelt in Seattle (i.e. wet and dark). We don't have much severe weather to worry about, just a pervasive damp cold that settles in ...
5
votes
4answers
916 views
Should I put weather stripping on my unsealed windows and doors?
I currently live in a rented apartment and the windows in my shower are not sealed, so it gets pretty cold there. The front door of the house also has a sealing problem.
The thing is, I'm not going ...
5
votes
3answers
1k views
What material should I use to insulate floor over a bumpout?
My dining room has part of it bumped out about 2 feet overhanging from the foundation. The floor over this overhanging part gets cold in winter and I'm thinking about insulating below it. I've done ...
3
votes
1answer
733 views
What is the process for draft proofing windows
I need to try to prevent drafts coming through and around my double glazed window units as much as possible. How can I go about detecting and sealing any leaks that are letting air through the window? ...
3
votes
2answers
1k views
Why would a sprinkler Air Valve leak after winterization?
I had someone come over my house and winterize the sprinklers. He explained to me what he did: He said he closed the main valve to the sprinkler system, hooked up a compressor and blew out all the ...
2
votes
1answer
348 views
What should I do about a 72 inch door?
I've got a door on a shed outback that pretty much just fell apart this summer and I need to replace it before I get a drift of snow. The old door was a regular wooden door, but I was thinking of ...
2
votes
2answers
150 views
How can I stop heat loss due to an uninsulated porch?
I have an enclosed porch with very little insulation, it is typically very cold in the winter. However, there is a radiator in the enclosed porch. I have a gas boiler heating system in the house.
...
2
votes
1answer
256 views
Where can I store outdoor patio or deck furniture over the winter?
I have a variety of plastic / wood / metal patio furniture that I am looking to store over the winter.
Unfortunately, I don't have space inside to store it.
We usually see temperatures of about 10 ...
2
votes
3answers
837 views
Window caulk gets a gap in winter
I have a front window that has about a 1/32 inch gap in the summer, but about a 1/4 inch gap in the winter. The original caulk completely came loose and allowed condensation from the window to get ...
1
vote
1answer
133 views
Draining irrigation system for the winter
What's the best way to drain an outdoor irrigation system, which includes sprinklers and drip irrigation?
I've drained them as well as I could by opening a faucet in the basement (a few feet below ...
1
vote
1answer
311 views
How can I keep my paint from freezing in an unheated garage?
This is the first winter I've had cans of paint in my garage. Many paint labels advise that paint shouldn't be allowed to freeze. There are three five-gallon buckets on the floor and around ten ...
1
vote
1answer
581 views
What could be causing my bedroom to be so cold, and how can I make it warmer?
I live in a two story townhouse with a basement this summer, they replaced the furnace and air conditioning unit. Last winter i put the 3M film over the windows to help with drafts and it worked great ...
0
votes
2answers
464 views
How do I keep the plastic window insulators sealed when the window has a sill?
Last winter I covered my windows in my apartment with a window sealing kit so keep out any drafts. The winds and temperatures are pretty extreme around here and the plastic would peel away from some ...
0
votes
0answers
80 views
How can I winterize an old solid concrete factory with a cargo elevator?
Looking to find the best methods using economical (low budget) materials.
Note: "Green-friendly" is a plus.
Also, I'm interested in hearing & learning about materials & methods that promote ...
