Prepare Your House for Winter

September is here and with it comes the inevitable change from hot summer days to cool fall nights and eventually the bitter cold of winter. The cool weather also serves as our reminder to begin preparing our houses for the winter weather. Spending a few hours here and there preparing your house for winter can help protect your home against the harsh winter weather, and allow you to enjoy the holiday season.

To help make the process a little easier, we have a short list of common household maintenance tasks everyone should completed before the winter weather arrives.

1. Change the batteries in you smoke detectors
2. Change you furnace filters. This is also a great time to have your furnace checked and to get your duct work cleaned.
3. Examine your roof and gutters for debris. While you are doing this, also check for any loose flashing. These are areas that can cause real problems once the snow and ice have arrived.
4. Make sure that your garden hose is disconnected for the season and that there are no leaks.
5. Check windows and doors for drafts. The majority of air loss within a home occurs at your windows and doors.
6. Clean and store seasonal furniture. Cleaning and storing these items in a dry space will help prevent cracking and fading.
7. Service your lawn power equipment. This step can save you a lot of aggravation in the spring. Once the prime cutting season is over,  you can frequently find the best deals of the year. Plus it is always nice to beat the rush!
8. Prepare you fireplace. You should check to see if the damper is opening and closing properly and that there are no obstructions in the chimney. We also recommend having your fireplace professionally cleaned to prevent chimney fires.
9. Have your dryer vent cleaned. This will not only help your clothes dry faster, but it will also help eliminate one of the leading causes of house fires.
10. Have your carpet cleaned. This will help extend the life of your carpet by removing the summer soils that have accumulated. Also don’t forget to reapply the protector to maintain your warranty.