Autumn means winter, winter means cold and cold means you won’t be stepping outside for a while. The fact that it is still autumn gives you a chance to do any needed maintenance on your home. Making sure your home is warm and in proper working order is important for the upcoming winter season and here’s a quick checklist to remind you of any forgotten chores.
Maintain your grounds and the outdoors
Rain gutter and downspout maintenance is especially important during this season. Fallen leaves are everywhere. You want to make sure your gutters aren’t clogged in order to prevent water from backing up and creating water damage in your roof.
You also want to make sure those leaves don’t smother your lawn. Buying a blower like the Worx 3000w blower vac will make short work of the garden invading foliage. Trim any trees and clear the immediate perimeter of your home to prevent decay.
If you have an underground sprinkler system you’ll also want to get the pipes drained to prevent freezing.
Making sure your roof is intact is also a very important checklist item. Inspect for any loose shingles and recaulk when necessary to prevent leaks, but if you have larger areas of damage don’t hesitate to call an expert. This is also the perfect season to repaint your house if you wish.
Indoors and heating
Now that you’ve taken care of your outdoor perimeter it’s time to ensure your home stays warm. You should have someone inspect your heating system at least once a year and this window of time before winter is a good time to do this.
Fireplaces are romantic but gas fires or ventless fireplaces are easier to maintain and burn more efficiently. If you’re looking for gas fires for sale you’ll also want to invest in oxygen and carbon monoxide sensors to keep watch on your air quality.
You also want to inspect all of your alarms and makes sure your family has a proper fire drill.
If you want to keep your house warm all winter you should also make sure there aren’t any leaks and there is proper insulation. Inspect the windows and external doors and recaulk to cut down on heat loss. If you have an attic make sure the attic floor is well insulated to prevent heat from escaping upwards.
Don’t forget to take care of yourself. Stock up on canned goods and essential toiletries you don’t want to be making random outings for. This is the hibernating and eating season so make sure you take good care of your teeth. I have recently invested in an electric toothbrush to cut down on my dentist visits in the spring.
If you have any other tips, feel free to share!
