The leaves have started falling, the days are getting shorter, and slowly the nights are getting cooler. The fall is slowly announcing its arrival.
With fall quickly approaching, it is officially time to prep your home for the cooler weather. Although the fall season puts an end to all the summer fun, there’s something beautiful about autumn’s cool weather and vibrant colors.
Follow these 8 Tips to Prep your home for the Fall:
Create a Mudroom
If you do not already have a mudroom in your home, now is a perfect time to organize the area near your entryway and prepare it for the cold and wet weather. Doing as little as investing in an indoor-outdoor rug will protect your floors from dirt and dust. If you’re feeling a little crafty, you can set aside a weekend to build a wooden shoe rack and storage bench.
Inspect your Windows and Doors
The fall might be the perfect season to open the windows and welcome the cool, fresh air into your home. But it’s important to inspect your windows and doors to ensure that there are no cracks leaking the warm air out of your home this fall. To reduce the amount of warm air loss, weatherstrip your windows and doors.
Clean Out Your Gutters
It is crucial to clean the gutters now that the leaves have begun to fall to prevent problems in the future. Remove all leaf pile-up, debris or any type of blockage in the gutters and pressure wash them to allow free flow of water. While you’re up there check your roof for any loose shingles.
Hang Heavy Curtains & Stock Up on Blankets
Before turning on your furnace this fall, hang heavy curtains throughout your home and keep warm blankets wishing reach. Heavy curtains will help keep your home warm during the fall and winter, and the blankets will keep your family warm while lounging until its necessary to turn the furnace on.
Turn Off Outdoor Plumbing
If where you live experiences below-freezing temperatures, it is important that you drain out all of your outdoor faucets and insulate them to avoid damage from frozen pipes.
Put Up all Patio Furniture
As summer officially comes to an end, its time to put all patio furniture away until next year. Patio furniture is not built for colder weather, so it’s better to go ahead and put it up in storage now before winter.
Remove Loose Branches
While you are taking care of some outdoor home maintenance, take some time to remove any loose branches off trees that surround your home. Not doing so could result in them falling on your home due to snow build-up or strong winter winds.
Replace Batteries in Smoke Detectors
Check that your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors have working batteries, it’s important to replace for your home and family’s safety.
