Fall brings cooler days, football, pumpkin spice, and the perfect time to prep your home for winter. Here’s what needs to get done.
√ The Heating System
Before it gets cold enough to turn on the furnace, have a professional inspect the heat exchanger, furnace burners, and air handler for readiness. Always change the intake filters according to schedule.
√ Fall Landscape Care
As growth slows, prepare your lawn equipment for storage. After the last mow of the season, empty the mower and trimmer and store gasoline for the winter. Start and run the engines until they run out of gas. Clean and store rakes, hoes, shovels, and pruning shears. Drain and store garden hoses and place insulating covers on outdoor faucets.
√ Outdoor Furnishings
Clean and cover the grill. Wash and cover outdoor furniture or store in the garage or shed.
√ Snow Equipment
If winter means snow in your part of the country, get the snowblower ready. Put fresh gas in the tank and make sure the air filter is clean.
√ Eliminate Drafts
Inspect the caulking and weather stripping around the outside of windows and doors. Replace any caulk or stripping that is old, cracked, and separating. Open windows and vacuum out the bottoms of the frame.
√ Roof and Gutters
Survey your roof from the ground with binoculars. Have a professional roofer secure loose shingles, flashing, or trim to prevent animals such as squirrels and raccoons from moving into your attic for the winter. Clear debris from valleys and behind chimneys. Clear gutters of leaves and twigs.
√ Rake Leaves and Mulch Beds
When tree leaves have finished falling, rake and mulch. Spread the mulch over gardening beds as insulation against winter. If you don’t have sufficient leaves to mulch, purchase mulch from a local nursery and put down a three- to four-inch layer.
√ Safety Checks
Fall is a good time to test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.