Why Fall Maintenance is Important for Your Shed

At Country Cabins, we often tell our customers that it's important to maintain their shed's condition through the seasons to make their sheds last even longer. Our sheds are built with the best quality materials available, but yearly maintenance is still needed to keep your shed from falling into disrepair. Yet, some customers might not be convinced or forget to maintain their shed. This is what could happen if you neglect your fall shed maintenance.

How Sheds Are Damaged During The Winter

During the winter, there are two main threats of damage to your shed: water and animals. Here's how they can damage your shed.

Water Damage

When it snows or rains during the winter, the water can get trapped in cracks and freeze overnight. As water freezes, it expands and causes even more damage. Eventually, the ice can tear through your siding, shingles, or window frames and create holes for pests, dirt, and liquid water to pass through, dirtying and rotting your shed's interior.

Animal Damage

As it gets colder, wild animals will seek out warm, dry places to make their home. Sheds happen to fit that description. If your siding or floor has holes in it, animals can burrow inside your shed. Even if your shed is properly sealed, they can make nests underneath the floor between your joists. Wherever pests make their nests, they'll leave droppings which will rot your wood and pose a health risk to your family.

How To Avoid Winter Damage With Fall Maintenance

Clean Gutters, Roof, And Siding

If there is debris on your roof, gutters, or siding, water can get caught and freeze, causing the damage mentioned above. To avoid this, you should clean your roof, siding, and gutters (if you have them). It's also a good idea to clear off any snow from your roof throughout the winter.

Sweep Underneath And Inside Your Shed

Dirt and debris inside and underneath your shed are used by pests to build their nests. If you sweep your shed clean, they'll be less likely to call your shed their home. Even if you don't see any debris underneath your shed, you should still sweep it. Showing the area was recently disturbed will make the animals think it's unsafe to build a nest there.

Seal Any Leaks

As you clean the gutters, roof, and siding, keep an eye out for any cracks or other potential leaks. You'll want to re-seal these with new window caulk, shingles, siding, or gutter attachments. This will prevent water from getting inside and expanding when it freezes.

Why Choosing A Quality Shed Is Important

To further decrease your chances of winter damage to your shed, you should invest in a high-quality shed to begin with. Superior construction means that the siding, shingles, gutters, and windows are built with superior materials that lasts longer. You won't end up needing to re-seal any caulking or patch a leaky roof as often if you buy a better shed from the start. You should still inspect and clean your shed every fall but there won't be as much follow-up work needed.

When It's Time For A New Shed

If you've neglected your shed maintenance for a few years, it may be too damaged to safely store your belongings. If that's the case, reach out to Country Cabins today. Our high-quality sheds are built to last for decades with proper maintenance. Design your own today.