What Outdoor Features You Should Store This Winter

The team at SEAL-A-DECK is committed to helping you prepare as best as you can for the winter. Any New England resident can tell you that the winters here can be exceptionally harsh. Winterizing is very important in preserving your deck and patio investment. There are special steps that should be taken to defend outdoor features before the first freeze. Although a lot of attention is often paid to the deck itself, your amenities will need an action plan as well.

Furniture

Best practice tells us that furniture on your deck, regardless of material, needs to be stored before the snow begins to fall. We highly recommended placing your furniture items in the basement, garage, or a shed. These areas tend to be the easiest place to move heavy furniture items to and if space permits, it won’t be in the way. If there is just no extra room for storing the pieces inside of your house, there is still a way to protect them. We suggest moving all of your furniture together and tie them down with a rope to the floor or your rail system. Tying them to one another is important in the event of a strong Nor’easter. Once you have them all secured, you should cover them with a breathable cover. The type of cover you use is very important because if it doesn’t allow air to get through, it can be a haven for mold and mildew. You don’t want to uncover your furniture in the spring to find it rotten. Find the perfect mix of protection and freedom for the furniture to breathe. The professionals at SEAL-A-DECK can always help make this selection.

Outdoor Kitchen

Prepping your outdoor kitchen for the winter is another important step in winterizing your deck. The first thing you should do is make sure that the water in the sink pipes is properly evacuated so that during a freeze you won’t have to deal with busted water pipes. If you have a grill, you may want to polish and clean it before storing it for the winter. If it is a natural gas grill, make sure to turn off your gas lines if you don’t plan on using it. Covering your appliances, just like your furniture, is also a good idea to preserve its condition.

Plants

If you have potted plants that won’t survive a harsh winter, you may want to consider clustering them together near a wall close to your home. The wall will help keep them partially covered from the rapidly dropping temperatures and winds. The Spruce says “it’s typically best to position plants in a shady, sheltered location where the temperature swings will be less dramatic”. Perennials can also be placed indoors in a space with plenty of light. Leaving them outdoors will not give them the best chance of surviving the winter, especially in Massachusetts. If you have a sunroom, or a space that still gets a lot of natural sun, it’s recommended that you bring anything you can indoors during the harsh winters of northern states.

Winterize Your Deck

Your outdoor features and your deck need a solid plan to make it through the winter. Although freezing temperatures are hard to avoid, you don’t have to worry about your outdoor living space making it through. SEAL-A-DECK can help you come up with a plan to winterize your deck and all of your added features. Give us a call today at 877-SEALADECK to get more information on decking repairs and maintenance.