The changing of the seasons and cold winter weather can bring all sorts of issues for your yard and our sewer system if you aren’t prepared. Fallen leaves can clog gutters and storm drains, then freeze in place, causing flooding when it rains or snows. Water expands when it freezes, which can crack and damage garden hoses or rain barrels that haven’t been emptied. 

Take these steps to prepare your yard before winter:

• Remove, drain, and store outside garden hoses. Close the valves inside that control the water supply to the outside hose spigot, then open the outside spigot to allow any remaining water to drain.
• Clean out your gutters so that they can drain properly and are not weighed down by excess debris, ice, and snow.
• Rake leaves so they don’t smother the lawn or wash away into storm drains. Place your leaves in a bag for curbside pickup or compost at home. Pittsburgh leaf pickup schedule: pittsburghpa.gov/dpw/leaf-waste
• If you have a rain garden, add a fresh layer of mulch and rake out any leaves to help the garden manage stormwater during winter and ready it for spring. Avoid cutting back plant growth so that the rain garden can provide food and cover for winter birds.
• If you have a rain barrel, drain it then leave its spigot open so that it can drain any water that may enter over winter. If you have downspout diverter, switch it to bypass the barrel so that water drains through the downspout. Clear the barrel filter of debris. If storing outside, cover with a tarp.