Preparing for Winter and Colder Weather

[Weedygarden]

We all change out things to prepare for winter. Sometimes there are simple things, sometimes more challenging things to do. Our needs are different.

Things I have done and will do in the next few days:

New tires
Changed to flannel sheets on the beds
Closed all the windows
Winterize the swamp cooler
Get out the snow shovel
Fill the tank with window fluid
Switched out from summer clothing to winter clothing
Got out my boots, hat, scarf and gloves

What have you done to prepare for colder weather?

 

[Amish Heart]

I need to start winterizing some of the animals that live outside when I get home. When it starts to get really cold I keep empty water jugs under the kitchen sink to fill with hot water to defrost the water quickly for the chickens, ducks, and turkeys. Also I tarp three sides of the chicken, turkey, and duck runs for adding heat, and make sure all of them have clean, fresh straw.
It's a good time to clean out my car BOB and make sure the food still looks good, and that there's plenty of warm gloves/hats/thick socks in there.

 

[angie_nrs]

Things we've already done:

winterized the camper and put in storage for the winter
winterized the tractors
took air conditioners out of windows, cleaned them up, and put them away
filled spare gas cans
stocked up on canned goods
cleaned out and organized the freezers to make room for potential fall deer harvest


Things we need to do:

fill spare propane tanks
put extra winter stuff in trunk of car (shovel, mats, etc.)
put snow tires on car and plow on truck.......it's just a touch too early yet, but likely mid-late Nov.
deliver some firewood to our friends just because.....now is the time to cut deadwood on our property b/c it's finally cool enough
clean the outdoor screens and windows
deep clean the bedroom closet and put away summer wear and break out the winter stuff, including long johns and wool socks!
will change out the summer boots soon to replace with the winter ones. No snow yet.....so it's a bit too early for that.
pull batteries out of vehicles/equipment we let sit for the winter and put them on a trickle charger or at least a heated garage.

It's a lot of work.....but I just LOVE this time of year!

 

[The Lazy L]

Cover the outside A/C unit.

Make sure the windows are closed all the way and locked. Wife has a habit of opening a random window when she is hot, then closing the window almost all the way before (if she remembers) locking it and then during the winter I get to trace the cold draft back to the window and wonder how much of my heat bill went for contributing to global warming?!?! Recheck during the winter.

Remove the garden hoses from the outside faucets so the faucets don't freeze and burst the water pipe(s) and then hide the garden hoses. Once when I had the hoses removed and ready for winter, the wife reconnected one to wash off the sidewalk and didn't disconnected the hose. I figured out what happen when a warm spell thawed the pipe and the wife started yelling about water pouring into the basement.

Once or twice a week mow the fallen leaves into the woods before putting the battery conditioner on the mower's battery.

Put the heater under the chicken's waterer.

Clean out the gutters a final time after all of the leaves are down. This time I've got a secret weapon that will replace the 2-story extension ladder and the need to move it every four feet of gutter. A power washer with a extendable wand and T-attachment on the end. Now I can clean the gutters while I'm standing on the ground!

Put the snow blade on the Mule and check the tires air pressure.

Put the south windows on the chicken coop and leave them leaning in.

Change the furnace filter.

Make sure the culverts and other drainage pipes are clear and ready for the spring rains.

Replace the boxers with long underwear.

Start looking forward to spring.

 

[Weedygarden]

I saw this video with some great winter tips for car preps and driving.

 

[dademoss]

So far I haven't done much:
Take down Hummingbird feeders and clean.
Bring in the houseplants before the freeze.

Soon it will be time to move the chickens to the greenhouse and get the snow shovel out.

 

[WVDragonlady]

We started back in the summer by buying 3 tons of wood pellets for our heat.
We've taken down all the awnings
Covered the ac
Brought the snow plow for the bobcat out to the front of the driveway
Switched to flannel sheets ( also have fleece sheets for the bitter below zero cold nights) and put a fleece blanket on the bed
So far have one bale of straw in the pup's box for them. We'll be getting another 4 to cover them for the whole winter. They break it down to almost nothing by playing in there lol
Closed up the outdoor kitchen
Snow shovels are in the carport waiting
I'll be getting an extra 50lbs of dry dogfood to have in case they run out and we have snow or ice storm
Checking all the cold weather gear to see if they need cleaned or sewed
Still need to buy cases of canned veggies
Have to get the vehicle bags ready ( check for hand warmers, extra socks,hat.gloves.fleece shirts,etc)

 

[Hooch]

I broke out my cold weather gear already
I need to disconnect another hoze I keep forgetting..
last weekend I hooked up the livestock and chicken water heaters to power..
I still need to take down a window ac unit and winterize that area..
from what the weather looks like I have one more week of cold but clear weather to get stuff done..then it will be hit n miss.
I'm pretty ready to chill this winter..

 

[MoBookworm1957]

Cover the air conditioner inside and out.
Put up clear plastic on the inside of the windows so Strawberry and Estelle can look out.
Wash up winter gear(hats, gloves,thermal socks, long johns).
Make sure bag in car has blanket,flashlight,gloves, hats, socks, folding snow shovel,long johns etc.
Move winter bag from trunk to behind driver's seat.
Make sure all storm windows are closed and windows are locked.
Dig up garden dirt, relocating garden next year. Put garden dirt in secure place.
Bring all gardening tools inside, clean then coat with light spray of WD40.
Check propane tanks make sure the are all full.
So if electricity goes out I can still cook outside.
Make sure all flashlights have fresh batteries,make sure every room has flashlight.
Make sure oil lamps wicks have been trimmed and filled.
Fill up water jugs under kitchen sink.
Dig out stove top coffee pot, get washed up and ready to go.

 

[gravelroad]

I put "Glass Wax" on my solar panels today and want to do one more coat if I have time.
I need to harvest our 50 meat birds in 2 weeks.
Move the chicken bedding out of the coop and into there run and make a huge compost pile in there.
I need to clean my shop rearrange my shop for the winter.
I need to equalize both of my battery banks.

 

[Meerkat]

Put up summer clothes and take out Fall and Winter clothes. Change filters and put down outside dog beds.
Run van and truck heaters and check anti freeze. Clean out vents in autos and drain heater core or whatever it is called.

 

[The Lazy L]

Turn the rain gauge upside down so it doesn't freeze and break.

 

[hiwall]

We don't do too much here. We still have one hummingbird feeder up but I will take that down within the next couple days (I had only left one up). I did fill the spare propane tanks about a week ago. I do own a snow shovel but I have no intention of ever using it. If I need to shovel, I'll just stay inside.

I don't work so I do not need to go anywhere.
As far as snow my motto is God put it there and I'll just let Him remove it when He feels like it.

 

[MoBookworm1957]

Taking car for oil change and winterized next Friday.
Provide the roads aren't flooded again.

 

[Meerkat]

I saw this video with some great winter tips for car preps and driving.

Weedy down here that is not as important but still good to know how to stay warm in case of breakdown. We keep tools and warm clothes in the vehicle plus always have extra water.

 

[Weedygarden]

Wranglerstar did a video about preparing your car for winter. This is part 1.

 

[The Lazy L]

...As far as snow my motto is God put it there and I'll just let Him remove it when He feels like it.

There is one nice thing about snow. If you ignore it long enough it does go away!

 

[Weedygarden]

https://survivalblog.com/preparing-winter-can-teach-us-prepping-erik/

One of the tips in this article is to add fuel preservative and to run it through your small engines, such as lawn mowers, etc., to prevent having a gummed up carburetor in the spring. I don't have to do that, because I just add it to any gas that I add to things like the lawn mower, all summer long. When I was teaching, I would get caught flat footed and not have this taken care of, so it was just as easy to use treated gasoline. Then I never get or got caught with a gummed up carburetor.

 

[WVDragonlady]

Hubby just did maintenance on the bobcat today so its ready for snow removal and put the mowers away.
Next up is putting new heat tape on the outdoor faucet ( some bad little pitbull puppy chewed it ALL up and got his hiney smacked for it too). We also have to get the heated water bucket out for them and clean it up really well but theres still time since the real cold freezing weather isn't here yet.
We have 200 gallons of treated diesel fuel at all times since we have a diesel generator and a couple of the big trucks run on it also, so it gets rotated through all year round

 

[gravelroad]

I have done my last mowing, put the bucket on, and the blade on the tractor. I also got the garage cleaned and set up for winter.

I'm glad it's going to be below 65 for a the next 10 days. I need to harvest a 150 pig and a 50 pound lamb tomorrow for a party on Saturday. Tuesday I plan on harvesting my 50 chickens and if the lamb looks good I might harvest the 3 that will be left. So I will only have 2 pigs to deal with.

 

[The Lazy L]

I Forgot one...turn the rain gauge upside down.

 

[Bacpacker]

Put solar panel on the tractor to keep the battery topped off.

 

[jimLE]

I got out 5 candle's, and the idea candle holders for each one.thats just in case the electric goes off.that means that i have that much more heat.and lighting.also got out the last of my winter clothes.

 

[Terri9630]

It got cold!! Snowed in the mountains around us but didn't last.

 

[Weedygarden]

It got cold!! Snowed in the mountains around us but didn't last.

Oh yes it did! I think we had around 4 inches of snow at my house. We still have some, but we are supposed to be in the 50's a few days this week, so it won't last long.

 

[Terri9630]

Oh yes it did! I think we had around 4 inches of snow at my house. We still have some, but we are supposed to be in the 50's a few days this week, so it won't last long.

Our thermometer said it hit 50 but I'm not sure I believe it. Darn wind was like ice. It didn't even get up to freezing today at the mtn place. Our neighbor said it got down to 10°. That's sitting in front of the woodstove puttin a puzzle together kind of weather.

 

[JAC]

Installed a no freeze faucet out near my livestock pens. Already really liking it!

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-2-ft-Bury-Depth-Frost-Proof-Yard-Hydrant-EBYH02NL/205031731

Now if I could come up with some no freeze water hoses I would be golden!

 

[hiwall]

Come to my house Terri. It was 7* here this morning.

 

[Terri9630]

Come to my house Terri. It was 7* here this morning.

 

[Weedygarden]

Our thermometer said it hit 50 but I'm not sure I believe it. Darn wind was like ice. It didn't even get up to freezing today at the mtn place. Our neighbor said it got down to 10°. That's sitting in front of the woodstove puttin a puzzle together kind of weather.

And a pot of soup weather! Imagine the people who live up north who endure temperatures below zero for months on end.