 |
| It's Time To Prepare For Winter |
Fall Clean UP and Winter Readiness
My colleague Kathy Macgregor sent the following to me to post on our internal Blog and I thought it was worthy of re-sharing on my blog as well! The original content for which I am not sure of where it originated - but most of it is common sense measures one can take to make sure you are prepared for the colder months following on the heals of fall.
We all think about Spring cleaning but there's plenty of household tasks that just make sense to tackle in a fall. If you're going to spend the majority of time over the next seven months inside, why not make it a comfortable, energy-efficient and organized one?
Watch Those Leaves
If you don't want the tannin in fall leaves to leave hard-to-clean imprints on your deck and concrete walkways, keep those surfaces leaf-free. If you do get some leaf prints, try a solution of half water and half bleach (test it first in an unobtrusive spot — it may lighten the wood on your deck) or trisodium phosphate (commonly known as TSP) and warm water. Or, just leave the prints and consider them an artistic addition to your exterior look.
Clean the Gutters
One of the biggest must-do tasks of the season is to clean your home's gutters. If you don't clean out your gutters, you run the risk of water building up in them during cold weather. This can cause "ice damming” and that can ruin a roof and cause serious interior damage.
Store Outdoor Furniture
Scrub and store outdoor furniture; even furniture designed to stay out year-round will last longer if protected from extreme cold and wet. Store or cover your barbecue unless you cook with it all year.
Empty and store large planters
Clay or terra-cotta units will crack if left out to freeze and thaw. Clean and store your gardening tools, but don't put them completely out of reach — shovels are useful year-round.
Winterize External Plumbing Systems
This is the most important job of fall if you live in an area that freezes in the winter. The simple fact that water expands upon freezing has caused countless homeowners innumerable woes. Ignore this job and flooding, water damage and thousands of dollars-worth of plumbing bills will be your constant winter companions.
 |
| Are You Ready For Winter? |
Here's a simple to-do list:
- · Drain underground sprinkler systems.
- · Have outdoor pools drained and professionally serviced.
- · Drain exterior water pipes and any pipes that run through unheated areas (such as a garage, crawl space or unheated porch). If draining these pipes isn't possible, wrap them with foam insulation or heat tape.
- · Cover exposed spigots with foam covers. Or, if cosmetics and ease of removal don't
- matter, wrap spigots in layers of newspaper, cover the newspaper with a plastic bag, and seal the whole affair with duct tape.
- · Drain and store garden hoses. Leave one hose and nozzle somewhere that's easily accessible; you'll need it for gutter cleaning and car washing.
- · Inspecting washing machine hoses for bulges, cracks or splits. Replace them every other year.
- · Checking the dryer exhaust tube and vent for built-up lint, debris or birds' nests. Make sure the exterior vent door closes tightly when not in use.
Energy-Saving Fall Ideas
- Have an energy audit done, which will tell you where heat is escaping your home and costing you money. Most utility companies will do these for free.
- Before the chilly weather of fall begins, make sure your furnace is tuned up for the winter and change the filter. Homeowners with a fireplace should check the flue and have the fireplace cleaned if it is wood burning.
- Fall is also a good time to have your air ducts cleaned
Energy Saving Maintenance Ideas for the Fall Include:
- Installing ceiling fans may seem like an odd fall suggestion. However, with the fan blades tipped to push warm air down
- Using a hot water heater blanket.
- Insulating and wrapping pipes.
- Checking the attic insulation and adding more if necessary.
- Replacing windows, which, if you can afford it now, can really help save with energy costs.
- Pull the refrigerator away from the wall, and vacuum the condenser coils. For bottom mounted coils, use a long, narrow brush to clean coils of dust and debris.
- Caulking around windows and doors. This will keep the chilly air and bugs out, and keep the heat in. Although caulking is something newer homes might not require but homeowners should also be checking weather-stripping and door sweeps.
Cleaning up in the Fall in preparation for Winta is for me a right of passage into a new season. Keep up with small maintenance items and you'll be enjoying the rest of the season and into and through Winter!
