Learn how to prepare your outdoor kitchen for winter weather.
The official start of winter is less than a week which means inclement weather will be on its way. It is critical that you prepare and protect all of your hardscaping features especially your outdoor kitchen. The last thing you want to happen is a water line bursting leaving you with costly repairs once spring comes around. Luckily, there a few simple ways to protect your outdoor kitchen in the winter so that your family can enjoy it during the rest of the year.
Start With Your Plumbing
One of the first tasks you should complete is to shut off all of your water lines that connect your outdoor kitchen to your indoor plumbing system. You want to make sure you shut off the system using a valve that is inside your home to prevent water from resting in your outdoor pipes. You then want to drain all of the water lines especially those connected to any refrigerators, sinks, and ice makers. By completing these steps, you are preventing your pipes from freezing and even bursting which can be costly to repair.
Prepare the Grill
Depending on how the weather was through the fall season, you may have used your grill long after the summer festivities. Right now is the perfect time to clean and protect your grill from winter weather. You should clean the inside of your grill with a degreaser then scrub the area with a metal grill brush. Removes the grates and clean underneath making sure it is as clean as possible. If you are not using your grill during the winter, then turn off the gas line.
Focus On Your Refrigerator and Ice Maker
After the water lines are disconnected from both appliances, turn off the power to both units and unplug them from your home. You should empty your refrigerator completely and clean it with mild soap and water. Make sure to empty your ice maker’s storage bin and clean it. It is critical that you leave both appliances uncovered during the winter to prevent damaging moisture accumulation.
Leave Your Landscaping Needs To Carroll Landscaping
Carroll Landscaping has over 33 years of experience with hardscaping, grading/drainage, planting, and custom landscape design. Our award-winning landscape designers are passionate about providing customers with top-notch service and landscape design. Our landscape designers have a creative design outlook and work as a team with our installation crews to make your vision a reality. We are committed to providing every customer with the highest quality workmanship, professional and knowledgeable service, and creativity in design in order to surpass our client’s’ expectations in every aspect of the project.
For more information and to schedule a consultation with one of our expert designers, contact us online or give us a call at 410-922-2416. To stay connected with us and to learn more about our services, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube, and LinkedIn.