If you’re like me, you’ve already woke up to a frosted car windshield. The Rocky Mountain region is finally getting some good cold weather and there are a few simple tasks you can do to get a step ahead of Olde Jack Frost.
Prepare Your Home
- Close the storm door windows
- Disconnect and drain the garden hoses
- Clean out the old stems and dead plant debris from the garden patch
- Install your storm windows
- Find your snow shovelYour neighborhood Ace Hardware store can help you find foam covers for the spigots outside of your home, extra bags for what you cleaned out of the garden, gloves, and whatever variety of snow shovel suits your need.
Evaporative Cooler Storage
Don’t forget to properly store your evaporative cooler so you can enjoy it next year.
- Drain your cooler
- Remove the motor, pump, and pads
- Put a cover over it to prevent dust and debris from settling in.Can’t find the old cover? We’ve got you covered! If we don’t have one in stock, we can special order one for you. Visit your local store to see what ideas the knowledgeable staff has to cover the front of the cooler (inside the house) and keep the draft from chilling your peaceful night watching that movie on TV.
Insulate Doors & Windows
- Caulk around the outside edge of the door frames and windows
- Install shrink wrap style inside windows to help save heat
- Draft blockers or new weather strip for the doors.
Grills
Now is a great time to clean the BBQ grill and make sure you have a ready supply of propane gas. Nothing like a grilled NY strip on a dreary day. When you visit Ace, take your empty cylinder with you. We can provide propane cylinder exchange and a spare if you’d like to have one around just in case a stray blizzard cuts your utilities for a day or two.