Safeguarding Your Garden Haven Until Spring
The crisp air, the shorter days, the inevitable arrival of frost – winter is undeniably upon us. While we might retreat indoors to cosy fires and steaming mugs, our garden sheds and rooms often face a long period of solitude and potential vulnerability. If yours is going to stand silent sentinel through the winter, now’s the time to ensure it’s well-protected and ready for when spring’s embrace lures us back outside. Neglecting these important outbuildings during winter can lead to costly repairs and premature deterioration. So, let’s delve into how you can best protect your garden haven until the daffodils start to bloom again.
The Threats Winter Presents
Winter presents a multitude of challenges for sheds and garden rooms. It’s not just the cold temperatures, but also the moisture, the potential for pests, and the simple toll that prolonged inactivity can take:
- Damp and Moisture: Rain, snow, and ice are persistent forces that can penetrate even the smallest cracks. Trapped moisture can lead to rot, mould, and mildew, causing structural damage and weakening wood.
- Freezing and Thawing: The freeze-thaw cycle can be incredibly destructive, expanding moisture that gets trapped in timber and causing it to warp and crack.
- Wind and Storm Damage: High winds can cause serious damage, especially if roofing felt is weakened, doors are loose, or if trees or heavy branches are too close to the structure.
- Pest Infestation: Rodents and insects often seek warm, sheltered spots during winter. An unprotected shed or garden room can become an inviting winter refuge.
- Rust and Corrosion: If your shed has metal components, prolonged exposure to damp conditions can accelerate rusting.
- General Wear and Tear: Even if weather conditions are relatively mild, lack of care can allow a gradual decline.
The Winter Protection Checklist: Your To-Do Guide
Before you hunker down for the winter, give your shed or garden room the TLC it needs. Here’s your step-by-step guide:
1. Conduct a Thorough Inspection:
- The Roof: Look for loose roofing felt, damaged tiles, or gaps. Repair these with appropriate materials (roofing felt repair kit, for example) before any winter weather.
- Walls and Cladding: Inspect the cladding or timber for signs of rot, loose boards, and any potential points of water entry, and take time to fix issues
- Doors and Windows: Check hinges, handles, and latches for secure closure. Make sure window seals are intact, if any are loose get a sealent that matches the original. If any issues you could fit a door latch bar for added security
- Foundation: Ensure the foundation is still stable and level. Address any subsidence or issues with paving blocks and levelling where neccessary.
- Gutters and Downspouts: If applicable, clean out gutters and ensure downspouts are not blocked so that water can move away and doesn’t overflow and damage the wood on the outbuilding.
2. Address Any Repairs Immediately
Don’t delay any necessary fixes. Small problems left unresolved can turn into bigger ones in the harsh winter months. Make those repairs – use exterior grade fillers and wood sealants for damaged or cracked parts. The goal is to seal the building from moisture, weather, insects, rodents, and more. Make a checklist if this job seems daunting and do sections over different days until completed.
3. Prepare the Inside
- Clean and Declutter: Clear out any items that you don’t need over the winter – remove them. This prevents items being damaged in wet weather and leaves less for rodents to inhabit or destroy.
- Ventilation: Ensure there is adequate airflow – if no fitted air vents you may have to crack windows a very small amount to aid. In a closed structure, moisture will tend to condensate, so proper ventilation helps. Be aware that this small opening could also encourage insects or small creatures to enter
- Cover or store contents correctly: Storing garden furniture for example on end is beneficial over letting it lay prone to the floor or any moisture, for anything else storing in bins and covering helps also – for fabrics, consider if removing is more appropriate
- Treat for insects/pests: Ensure the structure has no unwanted inhabitants before winter comes around with various pest control remedies like mousetraps, bait boxes, or repellants, if applicable
4. The Importance of Protection
- Exterior Timber Treatment: Applying a wood preservative and/or stain or exterior wood paint helps protect from water ingress. A new coat will really make the shed protected this winter. Reapplying regularly, before the rainy season of winter helps protect long-term. Choose the right product – ensure it is weatherproof/exterior rated
- Waterproofing: Add some extra protection – applying sealant around door and window frames can make a big difference for prevention from drafts and the elements. Use a quality product suitable for your construction material, like the mentioned roof sealing kit.
- Additional Protective Layer: Fit tarpaulins for example around external vulnerable wood areas for even more protection – consider roof parts and underneath any exposed corners. Make sure any coverings can be firmly fixed or they will fall off with bad weather conditions or high winds
- Cover sensitive surfaces: Any surfaces vulnerable to rust could be treated to a rust proof covering or an application of the protective liquid before storage for the winter period to prevent deterioration
5. The Landscape Around Your Shed
- Tree Limbs: Ensure there are no dead or loose tree branches hanging overhead that could be dislodged by wind and cause damage during a storm or heavy snow, particularly any which are too close. It might be neccessary to consider felling some limbs that could potentially damage in coming months.
- Vegetation: Clear out overgrown plants that could cause further damp issues against the shed’s wall or cause potential hiding spots for animals/rodents. This will give it some ventilation in its more isolated state, allowing some fresh air.
6. Security Considerations
- Physical Security: Secure any additional external doors and window bars for increased security – with any windows shut/latched and not likely to blow open from the wind. Always secure door access as the winter tends to increase break-in and unwanted access to any open structure. Consider CCTV systems or camera motion detection lights where needed
Spring Rejuvenation
Once spring finally arrives, your protected shed or garden room will be in great shape, having had a much-needed winter sleep. Before you start using it again:
- Give it a thorough airing to release any built-up condensation.
- Conduct a fresh inspection to spot any issues you might have missed earlier
- Do some necessary repainting of external features, or add any finishing touches like hanging flower baskets, outdoor lights, bird houses.
- Get ready for an inspiring outdoor season!
Protecting your shed or garden room for the winter isn’t just about avoiding damage; it’s an investment in longevity. By following this guide, you’ll be ensuring that your outdoor sanctuary will stand the test of time. Come Spring, you will be all set, ready for an action-packed year. Enjoy your winter hibernation safe in the knowledge that your shed or garden room is protected and safe until its ready for a Spring awakening!
