With the first winter storm behind us and more freezing temps headed to the Lake Arrowhead area, now is a great time to prioritize winter upgrades while they are fresh on your mind. After all, once spring hits, winter repairs could easily take a backseat to outdoor adventures like gardening and barbecuing. So don’t let the dry-time slip by without taking measures to make sure your house will be ready when the snow falls again.
Driveways and Pathways
- Snow is rough on driveways and roads. As much as we love the ability to drive on newly plowed pathways, the aftermath can wreak havoc on the undercarriage of your car. One great way to protect your driveway is to install coils underneath the surface, which will warm the surface enough to melt or at least soften the snow.
- Before the next storm hits, you could call a snow plow company or hire a handyman to shovel after the next storm hits. If you wait until after the first flake falls, you may have trouble booking a plow driver or someone to shovel.
- Forbes Magazine recommends clearing all of the walking surfaces on your property. You can do the work yourself or hire someone to shovel, plow and use ice melt.
- Once the snow has cleared, walk the perimeter of your home and pay attention to any areas that might later require resurfacing.
Plants
- Protect prized plants by driving tall stakes around plant beds near paths and driveways so that you (or anyone else who plows) will know where to stop shoveling.
- If you’re trying to protect delicate foliage, consider leaving it in a pot so you can bring it indoors before the temperature drops.
- According to com, a mix of liquid magnesium chloride applied with a garden sprayer a few hours before a storm, can melt slow accumulations of less than two inches and keep ice from bonding to hard surfaces. Count on using 1 gallon for every 1,000 square feet.
- Ask your gardener to take extra precautions to protect your plants from frost. One idea is an inexpensive cone, which can be placed over individual plants for protection, if they can’t be safely transplanted and moved indoors.
Structure
- Homesessive.com recommends checking shutters and siding in advance of storms to make sure that everything is secure, since melted snow can lead to water damage.
- Heavy winds could potentially rip off or otherwise damage exterior elements of your home. So check the condition of trim before and after every storm.
- Important particularly if your Lake Arrowhead home is used for vacations, take steps to ensure the pipes are protected. In unheated areas such as crawl spaces and attics, insulation could prevent freezing and bursting.
- Another important area to protect is your AC unit. Whether you live in the home full-time or just use it for vacations, cover condensing units to prevent wetness and debris from damaging AC units in the winter months.
- Protect your roof from falling branches by trimming unsafe trees and shrubbery which surround your house.
- Also, when evaluating your home for potential snowfall-related risk, consider the fact that heavy snowfall can overwhelm rooftops if shingles are anything other than perfectly sound. If you are unsure, hire someone to check out your roof before the next storm hits. While the roofer is on location, ask him to make sure the area around your chimney is free from debris.
Real estate investing can be tricky—whether you are buying your first home, purchasing a vacation home, or upgrading from a starter. If you are interested in buying or selling property in Lake Arrowhead, California or the surrounding area, don’t get caught in a Catch 22 — owning two homes or none at all. The Prime Team is the only group of real estate agents in the Lake Arrowhead area who stand by our services by offering a number of guaranteed sales and purchasing programs. So don’t miss a prime opportunity to take advantage of today’s market. We’ll answer all of your questions today, and you’re never under any obligation. Call 1-909-337-7653 and ask for a member of the Prime Team.
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