Fall is a fun time of year- apple picking, breaking out those cozy sweaters and pumpkins galore! But there is more to prepare for besides digging your fuzzy socks out of the closet. Winter is coming and with that comes some home maintenance to tend to. Here’s a checklist of things to do before the freezing temperatures take over!

  1. Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and change their batteries.
  2. Change out your furnace filter- Most of the winter you’ll have your furnace running! Make sure its at its best.
  3. Reverse the direction of your ceiling fans- it should be moving clockwise in the winter to push warm air down.
  4. Have your chimney cleaned and serviced by a professional.
  5. Clean and inspect your gutters AFTER the leaves have fallen.
  6. Check your roof for missing or damaged shingles.
  7. Drain your garden hose and blowout/winterize your sprinkler systems.
  8. Organize your snow gear- shovels, snow blowers, etc.
  9. Insulate water pipes in your house.
  10. Replace exterior lightbulbs- with less sunlight during the winter, you’ll be needing those lightbulbs a bit more!
  11. Check weather stripping- add or replace anywhere you can see daylight coming in through your doors.
  12. Pack up outdoor furniture and decor- put away summertime cushions and umbrellas that you won’t be needing until next year.