Wintertime can present a challenging time for the outdoor elements of your home. Harsh cold and the possibilities of ice and snow can create problems for your patio area. It is important that you take care of theses items so that they will easily survive these extra challenges.

Caring For Your Outdoor Fountain In Winter

A popular outdoor feature particularly in need of winterizing is your fountain. Fountains help create peaceful backyards and can bring a lot of charm to your patio. However, the possibility of freezing temperatures means that you need to take some extra care measures for your fountain in the winter. It is true that most fountains are built to withstand extreme temperatures; however, frozen water is never good news for any fountain. Frozen water can cause cracks in your fountain and can lead to permanent damage to your pump.

If your fountain is portable, the best choice is to move it indoors to protect it from the cold weather. For some types of fountains, you may be able to disassemble them for easier storage. But, some types of fountains are simply too large to move inside for winter.

For fountains that need to stay outside, the most important step you can take is getting rid of any and all water. When the freeze comes, whatever water is present will potentially cause a lot distress on your fountain. If possible, detach your fountain’s pump and bring it indoors. This is a great opportunity to clean your pump and make sure there are no debris or other obstructions compromising its function. The pump is by far the most delicate part of your fountain and bringing it indoors is a great way to decrease the chance of long term damage.

In order to protect your fountain the best, you will want to invest in an outdoor fountain cover. These come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The advantage to fountain covers, as opposed to a tarp or some other covering is in the fountain cover material and design. This material is made to be completely waterproof as well as UV stabilized. In terms of design, fountain covers typically comes with a drawstring at the bottom which deters snow and rain from sneaking in and attacking your fountain.

Caring For Your Hot Tub In Winter

Many people have a hot tub on their patio. Hot tubs can be a wonderful wintertime experience; however, they need special attention. If you want to use your hot tub in the winter, it is important to know that if you use it more than once or twice, it may be a good idea to keep it running throughout the winter. This requires changing the tub settings to turn the jets and other water rotation systems to trigger on frequently so that the water doesn’t become stagnate and freeze. Similar to the fountains, you will want to ensure that water doesn’t work its way in and freeze. This can seriously damage your hot tub should it happen.

If you choose not to use your hot tub for this winter season, it is important that you properly clean and empty the system of all water and debris. You can learn how to do that specifically for your unit from the owner’s manual. The most important part of preparing your hot tub for winter is to not allow any water to freeze up within the system.

Caring For Your Patio Fire Pit In Winter

Another feature which many need some extra winter care is your patio fire pit. Fire pits come in a number of varieties with some being better suited to winter months and others for the summer months. Typically the fire pits that do well in the winter months are bit a more industrial than the summertime fire pits. One of the pluses of the wintertime variety is the amount of heat they produce. These models can make enough heat to keep everyone a reasonable temperature even in the coldest months. The type of materials used for fire pits vary dramatically. Here are a couple of tips to keep your fire pit working well all year long

Try to keep your fire pit as clean as possible. For pits which burn wood, ash will need to be frequently cleaned out. In the winter it can be hard to take the extra time to clean the pit because it may be hard to go outside in the unfriendly could, but it is important to find time to do this often. If you are using a gas run pit, be sure to inspect the burners and valves regularly. Dirt and other miscellaneous can cause problems unless cleaned out properly. Although generally cleaning your fire pit is not too difficult, it is advisable to get a professional to come out and take a look. This is particularly true for gas run pits. With something as volatile as fire, it is very important to take all the necessary safety precautions.

If you are not planning on using your fire pit this winter, you will want to protect it from the elements. If possible you can bring the fire pit indoors for maximum protection. However, many fire pits are built in features of the patio. In this case, you may want to get an appropriately sized cover. This can keep the fire pit from suffering any unpleasant results from the harsh winter weather.

Louise Williams is a writer working out of Virginia. Louise knows the importance of weather proofing during the winter seeing as how you basically freeze to death the moment you walk outside in her town.