Fall is the time to prepare for winter. This list should keep you busy.
- Clean leaves around the home.
- Clean your gutters. Clogged gutters can’t drain. If they can’t drain, ice dams are most certainly going to form when the snow arrives resulting in water damage in the eaves and possibly inside the home.
- Have your furnace serviced. You don’t want to wait for Jack Frost to arrive to find out you don’t have heat in your home.
- Replace your furnace filter, check your filter inventory, and stock up if necessary.
- Give the ol’ snow blower a tune up and fresh gas. Don’t wait for the first deep snow to find out it won’t start or run. Be prepared….
- Stack older and seasoned firewood at the front of the pile so you don’t throw green wood into the fireplace over the winter. Burning green wood causes creosote buildup in chimney flues.
- If your home is equipped with an emergency generator, give it a full rundown and make any repairs it may need. Winter is not the time for something like that to not work.
- If you have a wood burning fireplace, have a certified chimney sweep inspect and clean your chimney flue.
- Blow out your sprinkler system and detach any hoses from exterior hose bibs. If you don’t own your own air compressor for this task, find a reputable landscaping contractor that can help you out.
- If your home has old leaky windows, install window insulation kits, available at most home improvement stores.
