8 Expert Tips to Preserve Your Outdoor Living Spaces This Winter

This article originally appeared on redfin.com. Reposted with permission.

While there are many great aspects about the winter season, the cold weather can often keep us inside while snow and rain wreak havoc on our outdoor living spaces. While many people would like to utilize outdoor living spaces year-round, sometimes it’s just not possible. In order to preserve your outdoor living spaces, it is important to protect them from the elements.

To help you get started, we reached out to experts across North America to give us their best tips. From moving your fire pits to shrink-wrapping outdoor features, keep reading to see what they had to say.

1. Move firepits away from artificial grass areas

Outdoor fire pits are cozy during the wintertime but a stray ember can damage artificial turf. Protect your investment by moving firepits at least five feet away from artificial grass areas. Another tip is to avoid storing heavy objects such as planters or lawn furniture on artificial grass during the winter season as this could lead to matted down areas that will look unsightly when the yard is back in full use during the summer. – Superior Grass and Turf

2. Protect your surfaces with a deicer

With colder temperatures arriving, your stone and concrete surfaces can break, split, and crack. To prevent damage to your hard surfaces, choose a deicer with CMA, potassium chloride, or use sand. Choose a shovel with rubberized edges and fill in any cracks before it snows. Make sure to level any uneven surfaces and use a sealant with grit mixed in to provide traction. These small steps can have a great impact when it comes to protecting your hard surfaces during the harsher winter months. – The Hardscape Exchange

3. Shrinkwrap your outdoor features

We encourage our clients, and all who experience harsh winter conditions, to look into shrink wrapping. This is essential to keep the elements from eroding. Shrinkwrapping is a great way to preserve your investment for years to come. We recommend wrapping all features like water features, fire pits, or slides. – FX Design Team

4. Build a sunroom enclosure

Always choose a qualified supplier so you understand what material to choose for your sunroom. Some common materials used for sunroom enclosures are tempered glass or polycarbonate roofs. During the wintertime, you may not use this facility often, but clean it regularly and make it dry. This will make the hardware last longer. – Fresh Outdoor

5. Cover your patio furniture, remove plants, and store accessories

Patio life is never seasonal, so enjoy it. However, if you can’t sit outside during the winter months, cover your furniture and grills, remove plants, and store accessories (including cushions and pillows). Finally, count down the days until you can enjoy your space again. – Patio Chic

6. Consider a small greenhouse

Make sure your outdoor plants are hardy enough to survive your winter — be sure to check what USDA zone you’re in. If you’re scared that your plants won’t survive a frost or freeze, plan ahead and grow those plants in containers with a plan to bring them inside. If you’re out of room indoors for your container plants, consider building a small greenhouse outside or employing a vertical container solution such as SkyPots to maximize your indoor green space. – The Horticult

7. Bring the outdoors in

One great way to protect your precious outdoor herbs, veggies, and flowers in the winter is to bring the outdoors inside. With vertical indoor gardening, you can grow the perfect mix of herbs, veggies, and flowers you’d normally grow outside in the summer in the comfort of your own all year. – Just Vertical

8. Keep your stock tank pool equipment on and your pool covered