How To Winterize A Pub Shed

After enjoying your pub shed through spring and summer, as the Autumn hits and the threat of winter on its way, a decision needs to be made. Are you shutting your pub shed for winter? If so, then you may want to know how to winterize a pub shed.

Just shutting the doors and forgetting about your pub shed for the winter could lead to an unsightly mess when you reopen in spring. It is better to prepare your pub shed for the winter months to keep it in the best condition.

To winterize a pub shed make sure you first have proper ventilation fitted. Clean and air your pub shed before shut down. Place removable upholstery properly for maximum air flow. Clean cupboards and fridges and leave doors ajar. Turn off water supply and drain down plumbing. Place crystal dehumidifier packs or salt to absorb moisture. Shut all windows and doors, and check periodically.

This gives your pub shed the best chance of avoiding problems during the winter months when not in use.

Table Of Contents

Shutting The Pub Shed For Winter

If you are shutting your pub shed for the winter, then there are some simple steps you can take to prevent damage.

During the cold winter months moisture and damp can build up in an outbuilding that is not prepared for it. So to help keep our pub shed in the best condition through these months there are some steps we can take.

None of the steps involved are too demanding, each are pretty simple to achieve.

We’ll start with ventilation.

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Ventilate Your Pub Shed

Ventilation is important, whether it be your home, a caravan or your pub shed. You need to have airflow otherwise damp can set in and cause mold issues.

During the spring summer months you will have ventilation from open windows and doors. However when your pub shed is shut up and the windows and doors are closed the airflow stops.

This can cause damp and the development of mold. Not only can this have an affect on the structure itself, but also on your fittings and belongings.

No one wants to open their pub shed doors in the spring to find a damp mess with mold on everything.

To help prevent moisture and damp fit some air vents. One high up each end of the shed should be sufficient to keep the air flowing.

You can go further and add two at ground level too.

How To Fit Air Vents In A Pub Shed

It is simple to fit air vents in your pub shed. You can get round vents, square or rectangle vents, just buy the ones you prefer.

You will need two for each vent, one to fit on the outside and one to fit on the inside.

Mark out where your vent is going and drill one large or several small holes within the area the vent will cover.

Fix the vent over to cover the hole or holes you have drilled.

For a vent at each end you will need four vent covers. For two vents at each (high and low) you will need eight vent covers.

I used some simple round vents for my pub shed, it literally took ten minutes to drill and fit each vent.

This simple step will improve the airflow in your pub shed and help prevent damp and mold.

Clean And Air Your Pub Shed

Prior to shutting up your pub shed for the winter it is best to thoroughly clean it while airing it at the same time.

Open all the windows and doors to let the fresh air pile in for maximum airflow.

Thoroughly clean all surfaces, including ledges, shelves and all the nooks and crannies. Use proper cleaning products that remove dirt and sanitise.

Clean any cupboards inside and then leave the doors ajar or open so air flows inside.

When your pub shed is thoroughly cleaned before shut down it gives it the best possible chance to stay healthy.

Especially with the newly fitted air vents.

Pub Shed Soft Furnishings During The Winter

You may have soft furnishing or cushions in your pub shed. You will need to make sure these are properly stored to prevent damp or mold damage.

I built my bench seating myself and had custom made cushions for them. This means they can be removed and stored for the winter.

Obviously the airflow from the vents help to keep the right environment for your soft furnishings. However if they are staying in the bar, then remove and place them in the middle of the room.

This will allow the air to flow around them helping to keep them fresh. Obviously if you can remove them altogether and store them indoors, then that is better still.

The same goes for any small cushions, take them indoors, or put them in vacuum packs.

Pub Shed Fridge Winterization

Don’t forget about your fridge when you shut up the pub shed for the winter. It is pointless leaving it running throughout the cold period if you are shutting the bar down.

Completely empty your fridge of its contents. If you know when you are shutting your pub shed for winter, then let your fridge stock run down leading up to this date.

Once the fridge is empty, turn it off and allow a little time for it to defrost. Place shallow trays and/or towels in front on the floor to catch or soak up any excess water.

Clean your fridge thoroughly, make sure it is spotless inside.

Finally leave the door ajar so air can flow around the inside. As many fridge doors are designed to shut if left open. It is a good idea to put something between the body of the fridge and door to prevent it shutting.

Obviously if you have more than one fridge then do this with all of them.

Drain Down For Winter

This only applies if you have a wet bar, which means you have a water supply running to your bar with a sink and the plumbing that goes with it.

Water pipes may freeze during the winter if not properly insulated or drained down. This may result in burst pipes and water damage in you bar.

To prevent this it is advisable to drain down your plumbing.

How To Drain Down You Plumbing

Turn off the water supply to your pub shed.

Run the taps to empty the water from them and leave the taps open for any water left in the pipes to expand freely.

Pour a little antifreeze down the sink drain to prevent the water in the tarp from freezing. You can get caravan drain down antifreeze especially for the job.

Alternatively you can take the sink trap off and empty it, while taking the opportunity to clean it too.

How To Collect Excess Moisture in Your Pub Shed

Even though you have air vents to keep the air flowing through your pub shed. An extra aid to moisture is to put something inside to collect moisture.

A dehumidifier is the obvious choice, but you do not really want to have this running all winter long. So the alternative is to get a damp buster dehumidifier unit or pack.

Basically this is the use of Calcium Chloride Crystals in a specially designed container. They act like a dehumidifier, a condensation remover and moisture absorber.

You can get small tubs as well as larger bin size units that you can refill again and again.

As an alternative to these you can use salt. Salt will absorb moisture from the air. Just half fill one or several small bowls with salt and place them around your bar.

The salt will absorb moisture in the air, but you may need to check the bowls regularly. Once the salt and bowls are saturated with water, empty and refill with salt.

Keep Your Pub Shed Open During Winter

Of course you don’t have to close your pub shed during the winter. If you have good insulation and some kind of heating, then you may use it year round.

However even if this is the case, some of the steps for winterization can still be helpful.

Your pub shed will still benefit from vents for good airflow. Even though you have heating, you are still likely to keep windows and doors shut during the cold months. So air vents will keep good air circulation inside your bar.

Final Thoughts

When we shut our pub sheds down for the winter period. It is not advisable to just shut the door and then open up again in spring.

You will find there could be damp and mold taking hold. This can damage not only the structure of your pub shed, but also its contents.

It takes a lot of effort to build a pub shed, so you don’t want all your hard work to be spoilt. Use the steps in this article to help prevent these problems and keep your pub shed in tip top condition.

If you know of any other tips to help fellow pub shed owners to keep their bars safe during winter. The do share your thoughts below. Likewise if you have any questions, then again pop them below and I will endeavour to answer them.

A Little Side Story About Winterization

Many years ago I was co-owner in a cleaning company. One of our contracts was a holiday park with hundreds of caravans.

In the autumn our main activity was winterizing the caravans. The steps I have laid out in this article are the same that we employed back then.

The absorbing crystals were not readily available then, so we used salt, which why I know it works. Caravans already have vents fitted, so we didn’t have to fit vents.

But all the other steps were apart of the process and it works. So don’t skip any steps because they are all important.

I hope you have found this information helpful, we all want to keep our pub sheds in tip top condition.