A Colorado Springs winter means snow from October into April, mud after each Chinook, very dry air and static on every screen. Here is how to keep the house under control.
Winter in Colorado Springs is less of a single season than a series of swings. It can snow in the morning and melt by afternoon. A sunny day can reveal months of dust on the blinds. And it can run from October until nearly May.
This guide covers what cold weather does to a house here, what you can do yourself and what a professional visit adds when TotalCare Cleaning comes to Colorado Springs.
The National Weather Service gives Colorado Springs 32.5 inches of snow in a normal year, with March the snowiest month at 5.7 inches and April at 5.5. The average first measurable snow falls on October 25 and the last on April 23. The mean first freeze is October 2 and the mean last is May 8, so the cold season is long.
Year to year it varies greatly. The snowiest season on record, 1956 to 1957, brought 89.4 inches, and the least snowy, 2010 to 2011, brought 12.7. Chinook winds along the Front Range can raise temperatures 25 to 35 degrees within a short time, which means a lot of quick melting.
And the air is dry. The Colorado Climate Center says humidity is generally quite low, with winter bringing dry air and strong winds. December averages just 0.23 inches of precipitation.
Most winter dirt comes in on boots. Stop it at the door and the rest of the house stays cleaner. A little organization goes a long way, and it also keeps wet boots away from wood floors, which do not take kindly to standing melt.
Dry winter air gives dust an easy time. Static helps it cling to screens, plastic blinds and the tops of electronics, and a dry cloth tends to push it around rather than collect it. Use a slightly damp microfiber cloth and a screen-safe wipe.
Closed windows and steady heating circulate the same dust around the home all winter. Change the furnace filter on schedule and vacuum floor vents and return grilles. A humidifier can make the air more comfortable, but keep it clean and do not let it wet the walls or windows. Low sun also reveals what has built up. Those bright mornings make a good reminder to wipe the sills.
On extra cold days, Colorado Springs Utilities advises leaving kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors ajar, especially on exterior walls, and in extreme cold running a pencil thin stream of cold water so pipes do not freeze. That only works if air can get into those cabinets, so clear them out a little and keep cleaning supplies off the back wall.
It helps to keep those spaces clean for another reason. A tidy cabinet makes a small leak easy to spot before it becomes a big one. If a pipe does freeze or burst, call a plumber. Water damage is outside any cleaning service, and the cleanup comes after the repair.
CSU Extension says boxelder bugs overwinter as adults in houses, can stain draperies and other light colored surfaces and are best removed indoors with a vacuum. You may find them on sunny windows on a warm day. Vacuum them rather than crushing them, then empty the bag outside.
A visit from TotalCare Cleaning, once it comes to the city, will not treat pests, but regular wiping of sills and tracks helps you see whether they are a real problem. A recurring plan handles the steady grit of winter well, and a One-Time Deep Clean in late spring clears out what the season left behind.
The questions Colorado Springs homeowners ask most often about this topic, answered plainly.
TotalCare Cleaning will service Colorado Springs and surrounding areas with background-checked cleaners and is insured up to $1 million. Re-clean guarantee: if we missed something, tell us by the end of the next day and we come back to fix it. Beyond Clean. TotalCare.
