Why use Tarpaulins during the winter?

With winter and the associated cold weather fast approaching, it’s time for tarpaulins to come into their own! In this article, we’ll look at a number of ways in which tarpaulins can be useful during the colder part of the year. In summary, protecting property from the elements is especially important once the weather begins to turn, as rain, wind, sleet and snow can all cause substantial amounts of damage to a wide range of different items and structures-an investment in a good quality tarpaulin can greatly help to protect your items from harm. Let’s have a look at 7 ways tarpaulins can help to safeguard your property.

Protecting Outdoor Furniture and Equipment

Regardless of whether you’ve got outdoor garden furniture or tools and equipment that you need to protect (you may live and work on a farm, for instance) a tarpaulin can work wonders to prevent important pieces of property from being at risk from the elements. A well secured tarpaulin will more or less completely preserve what it’s covering, unless it gets damaged (at Tarpaulins Direct we stock plenty of repair options in our tape and patches section should this happen) and you can rest assured that the tarpaulin will do its job no matter the weather, considerably increasing the lifespan of what it’s covering. If you know that the weather conditions are likely to be particularly severe you could look at a more heavy duty tarpaulin, such as our 270gsm Supergrade tarpaulin. We provide tarpaulins in a very wide range of sizes all the way up to 18mx12m for the aforementioned Supergrade range, which should be sufficient to cover the largest of items you may need to protect.

Covering and Insulating Pipes and Faucets

Frozen and burst pipes and faucets can really be a nightmare, but with an appropriate tarpaulin covering this may not be something you’ll need to worry about. A small, cut to size piece of tarpaulin can be used as insulation from frost, protecting vulnerable parts of your water infrastructure from breaking at a critical point.

Protecting Vehicles and Boats

As much as they can be our pride and joy, motor vehicles and boats are unfortunately just as much at risk from adverse weather conditions as anything else, however tarpaulins as with other scenarios can be a great way of protecting vehicles from environmental risks:

 Shielding vehicles and boats from snow, ice, and cold temperatures

As we discussed earlier with regards to outdoor furniture and equipment, a vehicle or boat that has been well covered with a tarp during the winter should be well protected from moisture and from any damage that would otherwise arise from being exposed to cold temperatures. You’ll want to make sure that you order a large enough tarpaulin for the job, and it may be an idea to buy more than one if the vehicle or boat you need to cover is particularly large.

Preventing damage from falling debris and tree branches

A secondary benefit of covering vehicles and boats (as well as anything else!) with tarpaulins is that it will offer a degree of protection from external impacts to your property, for example tree branches falling on them or debris hitting them. Whilst not foolproof in this regard, an appropriate tarpaulin can nevertheless provide a degree of extra peace of mind when it comes to general item protection.

To appropriately protect your property if you do feel that debris, tree branches and other potential impact issues may be an problem, you may want to use a particularly high gsm tarpaulin such as the Profi Tarpaulin (premium) 570gsm, which is a very heavy duty tarp designed for maximum protection.

Creating Temporary Shelters and Enclosures

Building emergency shelters for people, pets, or livestock

There may be times when either the people or animals you care about, or both, may need to be protected from bad weather, and tarpaulins can perform this role admirably. Tarpaulins are easy to set up as temporary shelters, and as they are weatherproof and UV-resistant they can make very good improvised shelters. They can come in handy when out camping, helping keep pets dry and safe during adverse weather, and for protecting livestock who may otherwise be exposed, as well as a host of other uses.

Creating temporary enclosures for outdoor activities or events

In an emergency situation tarpaulins can also be used as very handy temporary enclosures during outdoor events and activities. Whilst not quite offering the permanence of more complex structures, their ease of deployment can make all the difference if the weather turns suddenly.

Camping

As we touched on above, tarpaulins can be used in camping, specifically they can be used for the following:

• Outdoor shelters – A tarpaulin can be stretched over a frame or tied between trees to create a wind‑proof, waterproof shelter that keeps snow and cold air out while still allowing ventilation.
• Insulated ground coverings – Laying a tarpaulin on the ground beneath a sleeping pad adds a barrier against moisture and cold from the snow or frozen ground, helping to retain body heat.

Protecting Construction Sites and Building Materials

Anyone who works on a building or construction site knows how important it is to keep both the structures themselves and particularly the building materials and equipment free from winter weather, and tarpaulins can save the day here once again! Because they are cheap, weatherproof and easy to secure, tarpaulins are very useful for protection on building sites and as such they are a common sight on work sites both in the UK and abroad.

Ground Cover for Winter Gardening       

Although winter gardening can be a fun and productive way to spend your time during the colder months, it does carry several risks to the plants themselves. These can be reduced considerably with a tarpaulin, which can be used as a protective layer for garden beds, compost areas, or to prevent soil erosion during winter months. In addition to this a tarpaulin covering can help maintain soil temperature, protect plant roots, and prevent soil compaction, making it a trusty tool for any gardener during winter.

Conclusions

We’ve seen how effective tarpaulins can be during the winter, and they have a myriad of uses for both private individuals and businesses looking to provide protection for their property when the weather is less favourable. Although we have covered a number of these points in the article, it is worth recapping some general tips for using tarpaulins during the winter:

• Ensure that you choose heavy-duty, waterproof tarpaulins that can withstand cold temperatures and harsh weather conditions
• Ensure the tarp is secured correctly to stop the wind displacing both the tarpaulin and what it is covering
• Look for tarps with reinforced edges for more secure installation
• Consider tarpaulins that are made out of UV-resistant and mildew-resistant materials, for longer-lasting protection

We’d encourage anyone serious about protecting their goods to invest in a good tarpaulin or two. Explore our selection of tarpaulins and find the perfect one for your winter needs today!