DIY Winter Chores

Getting Through the Winter Tips

Introduction: The lawnmower has been put away for the season, the leaves have been raked and the gardens have been winterized. The DIY homeowner may think that he can relax until spring returns but the reality is there are several household chores that must be performed during the winter months such as snow removal from the driveway, walkways and even the roof if it gets too deep. These winter chores cannot be ignored if you are going to get through the winter.

Snow must be removed from the driveway to provide access to your home especially if there is an emergency. The most convenient way to remove the snow is to hire a local snow removal service to plow your driveway. That can get expensive depending on the size of your driveway. Typically the charge for a 50 to 60 foot driveway is $30 for each plowing. This can get expensive with an average of at least ten storms that will require plowing. The DIY homeowner resorts to doing his own driveway snow removal with a snow blower. Snow bowers have just about taken the place of the snow shovel as there is hardly a home that does not have one. Snow blowers cost between $800 and $1,200 depending on the size. A thirty six wide snow blower is entirely adequate to do most driveways and not too cumbersome to operate.

Large amounts of snow on your roof can lead to ice dams at the roof edge causing water leaks in the house. In addition, heavy snow puts a lot of extra weight and stress on the roof. Deep roof snow should be removed. There is a special tool called a “roof rake” that does the job quite well. The roof rake is used to slowly pull snow down in the direction of the slope of the roof. When doing this task never pull the snow across the shingles otherwise you can damage the shingles causing water leaks and you should never use a shovel to remove snow from your roof.

Ice dams can cause a lot of winter damage to the roof if not removed. Large icicles hanging on the roof are a sure sign that you may be developing problems. Ice dams form around the perimeter of the roof and stop the flow of melting snow. The ice can push up under the roof shingles and lead to extensive damage to both your roof and the interior of your home as the ice melts. Ice dams should be removed quickly.

Removing the ice dams by chipping at the ice, but make certain you have removed any extra snow using your roof rake first. Chip the ice in such a way that you make paths for the water from the melting snow to run off the roof.

Keep in mind that after a snow storm the roof can be icy and slippery. Do not climb on an icy roof. Do all the work from a well secured ladder. Not only is it dangerous to walk on your roof you can also cause further roof damage.

These DIY winter chores are not difficult tasks but they must be performed to protect your home.

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