October and November are ideal times to winterize your home in North Carolina. The days are finally starting to cool off, but we likely have not had a freeze yet.

Tackle these tasks to make sure your home stays warm throughout winter and your exterior looks good in the spring.

1. Rake your leaves.

Rake your leaves to make sure no piles of leaves are interfering with your grass’ ability to breath. Grass needs sunlight and oxygen to stay healthy, even when it’s dormant.

*Helpful Tip: Use your leaves for compost! If you don’t have a compost bin set up, it can be incredibly easy to make one. Designate an area in your yard and toss leaves, grass trimmings, and compostable food waste in there to produce fertile soil for your garden in the spring.

**Helpful Tip: Fertilize your lawn to help with weed prevention and healthy growth in the spring.

2. Speaking of leaves, this is also a good time to clean out your gutters.

Even if you don’t have a ton of leaves on the ground, you might be surprised with the amount of leaves and debris you can find in your gutters. For the sake of your gutters, siding, and foundation, it’s important to keep these clear for proper drainage.

3. Check foundation and roof for cracks or leaks.

If you are reading this, you are likely a Thayer Homes homeowner, meaning your foundation and roof are relatively very new. Although you are not likely to find any issues, it’s always wise to check for them before finding out through catastrophe, especially in the cold winter.

*Helpful tip: A roof rake will help you clear off accumulated snow on your roof, which is built to hold up to 4ft of snow before possible collapse.

4. Protect your pipes from freezing.

Remove the water hose from the spout connected to the homebefore freezing temps. If hoses are left attached, leftover water in the hose will freeze and likely expand into the pipe. If the ice expands into the pipe, there is a chance it could cause the pipe to burst and leak. Also make sure to turn off your A/C water valve to prevent water collecting and freezing in the unit.

Helpful Tip:You can purchase pipe insulation from your local hardware store to help prevent freezing.