Just because the temperature has dropped a few degrees doesn’t mean you have to put your handyman tools away. There are still projects you can do in the colder weather…
For instance, you can still:
- Paint. As long as the temperature is above 40 degrees you can feel confident about painting the exterior of your home with just about any kind of paint. Below 40? There are some acrylic paints that can be applied down to freezing.
You can also continue painting inside with no fear, unless of course your furnace is out and your indoor temperature is below 40 degrees…
- Roof. While it is a great time to get a FREE roof analysis from a pro, you can still roof your house in cool, dry weather with no problem. For the most part as long as it is above 40 degrees and dry feel free to crawl up on your roof and nail shingles.
It is possible to roof on colder days, but you should read and follow the recommendations of the shingle manufacturer. Some shingles and underlayment can be damaged when they get too cold.
While I’m not really a fan of folks re-roofing their own home relax, now can be a traditionally slow time for professional roofers and many are offering $$$ off! Select a good one and save…
- Pour concrete. As a rule, you can pretty much pour concrete as long as it’s not freezing but remember, and this is very important, don’t pour concrete on frozen ground. Doing this will almost assure you of some major cracking when the ground thaws.
Also – and this shouldn’t be too tough to remember, try not to pour concrete over snow.
Side note - what about your new house? If you are building, or are having one built for you, this time of year, don’t worry. Your foundation can be poured in the cold weather as long as your builder insulates his foundation forms and leaves them on for three to five days. A good builder should know that…
- Wash your windows. Sorry, but you don’t get out of washing your windows. By adding rubbing alcohol to the water, you can wash windows well below 32 degrees. Other things you can add: windshield washing fluid and denatured alcohol (window cleaners in Alaska clean windows to 65 degrees below with a 50/50 mixture of water and denatured alcohol).
Again, sorry.
- Caulk. I am talking about outdoor caulking, of course. Are you trying to seal some windows and cut down on drafts? You can feel comfortable caulking down to 40 degrees with most caulk provided you are applying it to a clean and dry substrate.
High quality sealants are available that will permit use down to as low as -20 degrees. Note that the cooler the temp the longer it takes the caulk to set.
- Clean your gutters. Ok, you can do this anytime. However, now is a good time to get a jump on the project if for no other reason than to clean out those gutters to make sure they work properly.
Still have questions? Most products have ranges of usable temperatures on the label directions, and like we always say, always read the label directions whether you plan on following them or not.
So get off the couch and get back to work.
Again, sorry.