Maintenance never really ends, does it?
Seriously, it’s like as soon as you finish one thing, there’s another. I put in mesh guards too (aluminum though, kinda wish I’d sprung for stainless now), and they help but yeah—still gotta get up there. The calendar reminder is a lifesaver. I tried to just “remember” and ended up with a gutter waterfall during the last big rain. At least the storm shelter’s good to go, right? One less thing to stress about.
Totally get what you mean about maintenance being never-ending. I went with aluminum mesh guards too, mostly because the price difference for stainless felt a bit steep at the time. Now I’m second-guessing that, since the aluminum ones are already showing a bit of wear after just a couple seasons. Still better than fishing out handfuls of soggy leaves, though.
The calendar reminder trick is key. I tried to “just remember” last fall and ended up with a mini pond by the back steps. Lesson learned. At least the storm shelter’s checked off your list—those things always make me nervous until I know for sure they’re sealed up and stocked.
Curious, do you do any kind of regular check on the shelter, or just the annual inspection? I’ve been wondering if I’m overdoing it by looking in every few months, but I’d rather catch a leak or critter early than deal with a surprise during a storm.
I’m right there with you on the “mini pond” situation—been there, done that, and had to fish out a drowned flashlight. As for the shelter, I peek in every couple months, especially after heavy rain or if I hear weird noises (critters love a cozy spot). Annual inspection’s probably fine, but I’d rather catch a leak early than have to bail water with a mop bucket mid-storm. Overdoing it? Maybe, but peace of mind’s worth a few extra trips down those steps.
I totally get where you’re coming from—nothing like a surprise puddle to make you rethink your inspection schedule. I used to just do the annual check, but after one particularly rainy spring, I found a whole family of frogs had moved in. Not exactly the kind of “guests” I wanted in there. Now I do a quick look after any big storm, just in case. It’s not like it takes that long, and honestly, I’d rather deal with a little water or critter cleanup than have to replace anything major down the line.
I don’t think it’s overkill at all. If anything, I wish I’d been a bit more proactive before the frog incident... Live and learn, right? Plus, it’s kind of satisfying knowing everything’s in good shape—beats scrambling around with towels when you’re supposed to be sheltering from a storm.
“Now I do a quick look after any big storm, just in case. It’s not like it takes that long, and honestly, I’d rather deal with a little water or critter cleanup than have to replace anything major down the line.”
Couldn’t agree more. Regular checks are honestly the way to go—learned that the hard way after a squirrel chewed through some wiring in my basement one year. It’s wild how fast things can go sideways if you’re not keeping tabs. Doesn’t take much time, but it saves a ton of hassle. You’re right, it’s actually kind of satisfying knowing you’re ahead of the game.
