As the colder months settle in, it is prudent to take the time to complete a thorough winterizing of your home as well as any other outbuildings on your property, such as storage sheds, detached garages, and coops or greenhouses. This will help keep out unwanted critters looking for a warm shelter, dust and moisture damage, and potential structural damage. Here are a few simple tips for winterizing your property.
Metal Sheds and Out Buildings
Although metal is a very durable material to build with, it is prone to rust and wind damage from severe storms and poor drainage. To avoid these potentially very expensive repairs it is vital to perform an annual winterizing of these structures.
- Chipped Paint and Rust Removal – Early treatment of rust is the best way to make any metal structure last longer. Do a thorough inspection of all exposed areas both inside and out. Follow-up by scraping rust and chipped paint away with a stiff brush and one of the handy organic rust removal solutions listed in diy network’s article, “How to Clean Rust”. Once all rust and chipped paint is removed, cover all exposed metal with a rust-proof paint, spray paint works best.
- Minor to Moderate Holes – While completing your inspection, look for any holes that may have made their way through and repair them using sheets of sheet metal easily found at your local hardware store. Patches should be approximately 1” larger on all sides than the hole itself. Clean all hole edges removing rust, dirt, and chipped paint before installing the patch. Finish the repair with a fresh coat of paint and sealant around the edges.
Wooden Out Buildings
Wood is beautiful however it takes much tender loving care when it is exposed to the outside elements to keep it strong and beautiful. Here are a few things to look for as you winterize your wooden buildings.
- Chipped Paint and Splits – Making sure to continually remove chipped paint, fill split wood, followed by a good coat of quality outdoor paint, and caulking seams will keep your property from developing dry rot issues.
- Dry Rot – Dry rot issues can be very costly to repair if left unattended. Any areas showing signs of dry rot, small or large, should be completely removed and replaced with a construction grade wood patch, then all seams should be filled with wood putty and a few coats of quality exterior paint to seal the wood.
- Foundation Issues – Wood is most likely to rot around the base of your structures as snow and rain accumulate and melt. Inspect these areas closely repairing any signs of damage to assure that your foundation is sturdy and not a structural issue.
Winterizing your property and its outbuildings is an excellent way to get through the cold winter and wet spring months without expensive damage and repairs. And, if you find yourself in need of added storage but don’t want to deal with the maintenance issues associated with having a shed, we at Browning Park Mini Storage are here to help you with all your storage needs.