You may be ready for fall to finally arrive - sweater weather, hot cocoa, and warm fuzzy socks - but is your home ready? Getting your home ready for fall is a lot different than preparing your home for spring or summer. Read on to find out the most important things you should be doing to prepare for the cooler weather!
One of the most vital things you can do to prepare your home for cooler weather is to check for drafts. Check edges of windows and doors to see if you feel any air (a good tip? Light a candle and see if the flame flickers). If you find anything, replace seals and repair caulking as needed.
Next, check the insulation on your pipes. When temps drop below freezing, standing water in pipes can start to freeze in turn ruining valves and even causing cracks which leads to leaks and water damage. While freezing temps are still a long way off, it’s best to go ahead and do this step, rather than waiting till the last minute.
Another thing to check is your furnace. Check for ignition issues, pilot light health and clean up any dust or grime. If you see anything that concerns you arrange for a professional inspection. Also, while you’re here change out the filters!
While we’re on the subject of things that work to heat your home, if you have a fireplace now is the time to check on it as well. Clean out your fireplace, check the chimney for blockages and make sure the damper is working correctly. To be on the extra safe side, have a professional do an inspection.
Since the temperature of your home is so important when the weather cools down, consider getting a programmable thermostat. This way you can keep the temp in your home warm when people are there or active while automatically lowering the temperature when people are sleeping or away. This is a great way to save some money!
When it comes to the outdoors there are a couple of things you should be sure to take care of - checking on water drainage and fertilizing the lawn. It’s important to make sure any rain downspouts are cleared out of obstructions and direct water away from walkways and driveways. Applying a fall lawn fertilizer will actually help prevent winter damage to your lawn, as well as reducing the amount of spring weeds you’ll get. If you have a lawn service, ask them to do this for you; otherwise check online to find out what kind of fertilizer you need and when to apply.
Preparing your home now before the temperatures drop will keep you and your family safer in the long run (as well as save you money!).
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