If you live in a region where the leaves are beginning to turn and the days are getting crisp, it’s time to start preparing your house for cooler weather.
If you live in a region where the leaves are beginning to turn and the days are getting crisp, it’s time to start preparing your house for cooler weather.
How to Get Your Home Ready for the Change in Seasons
ByRonda KaysenSept. 18, 2020
How to Get Your Home Ready for the Change in Seasons
How to Get Your Home Ready for the Change in Seasons
If you live in a region where the leaves are beginning to turn and the days are getting crisp, it’s time to start preparing your house for cooler weather.Here’s how →
How to Get Your Home Ready for the Change in Seasons
Plant for spring.
It’s a great time to plant perennials, like peonies or hydrangea, or new trees and shrubs. You can also plant bulbs such as tulips and daffodils before the ground freezes to be rewarded with beautiful blooms come spring.
How to Get Your Home Ready for the Change in Seasons
Clear (most of) the leaves.
A thick bed of leaves on top of your grass could smother your lawn and lead to mold growth.
But a light layer under your shrubs and trees provides a natural mulch, which protects the roots through the winter.
Know that there are alternatives to raking. Researchers at Michigan State University have found that simply mowing over leaves once a week breaks them down enough for most lawns.
How to Get Your Home Ready for the Change in Seasons
Clean your gutters.
Once the majority of the leaves fall, call your gutter company to get those gutters cleaned and inspected. (The bravest can do this themselves). Any repairs should happen before winter sets in.
How to Get Your Home Ready for the Change in Seasons
Prep your heating and air conditioning.
Window A.C. units can stay in year-round if they are sealed with no gaps. Cover the inside and the outside of the appliance to protect them from the elements and prevent drafts.
Get your central air, furnace and ductwork serviced. Replace air filters as necessary. Make sure heating vents are open.
Boilers and radiators can be checked by a plumber.
How to Get Your Home Ready for the Change in Seasons
Protect outside pipes against freezing.
Drain and shut off your outdoor faucets. Roll all hoses and store them for winter.
If you have underground sprinklers, shut and drain your system to protect it from harsh weather.
Now is also the time to accept the fact that pool season is over. Clean, close and cover your pool, or call your pool maintenance company to do the job for you.
How to Get Your Home Ready for the Change in Seasons
Keep the heat in.
Walk around your home and check the windows and doors for drafts. Caulk door and window frames where necessary.
How to Get Your Home Ready for the Change in Seasons
Do a safety check.
If you did not get your chimney cleaned and inspected in the spring, call a chimney sweep before you start using your fireplace or your furnace.
Change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Have your dryer vent inspected and cleaned annually. Clothes dryers cause 2,900 fires a year — many in the fall and winter — according to the U. S. Fire Administration.
Learn more aboutkeeping your home properly maintained.