Where did summer go? It seems that we wait through a long, never-ending winter for summer to arrive, and then summer leaves as quickly as it arrives. Fall is already upon us. The weather will soon be cooling and splendid sights of Utah’s leaves changing colors will grace the Rocky Mountains. Here are some tips to prepare your home for the upcoming cold season.
With the sea of leaves on the ground, trees sure do unload on your yard. Keep in mind that if a tree sheds a lot of leaves on the ground it can also shed them wherever is in their path of falling, which includes roofs and rain gutters. We don’t want those leaves clogging our drains, do we?
Clogged rain gutters can wreck a home during winter. Backed up drains can back up watershed, which can freeze on a roof top and cause ice dams. As ice dams thaw, they lead water into a home, down walls, and on floors, causing immeasurable damage. While raking your leaves on the ground, improve and ensure rain gutter drainage by scooping up leaves and clutter from your home’s roof and drainage systems.
Avoid sprinkler damage and an unusable summer sprinkler system next year by properly maintaining your sprinklers during fall, now. Expel any water from your sprinkler systems before turning off for the winter. This can be done by allowing them to remain in the “on” position but with the water turned off. Leaving sprinkler lines open for several weeks will allow leftover moisture in the lines to evaporate.
With the proper equipment ,you can expedite expelling water from sprinkler lines by forcing air through your sprinkler system. Once your sprinkler lines are water-free, turn off the sprinkler’s main water line to keep them water-free.
Don’t forget to cover any hose bibs in your yard and on your home. Hose bibs must be covered to prevent winter pipe freezes. Frozen pipes may lead to the expansion of water inside pipes that could cause leaks upon thaw.
For more complex drain cleaning and rootering in Utah, call Clear Drain at 801-712-1940. Until then, enjoy Fall, Utah.