It seems that the temperature has headed south along with the geese which means that Fall has just about moved in. As the summer wanes and school begins there is a brief period of time, before the holidays (uugghh) arrive where we can do some safety maintenance and clean up of our homes. Here are some ideas that you should put on your list of “to do’s” to avoid problems over the winter.
- Have your heating system cleaned. To make sure your furnace / heat system are clean and in good repair to see you through the winter. This will ultimately save you some money heating your home by making sure your system is running efficiently
- Check over your ceiling fans and reverse their direction so heat is pushed back into the room. Take a few minutes to also take off the cover and vacuum out the dust bunnies that may have moved in to avoid potential hazards or malfunctions.
- Schedule a home-energy audit to identify places where air leaks and inadequate insulation can cause winter ice dams and ultimately a dent in your wallet.
- Check the caulking around windows and doors and replace old, cracked and peeling caulking. Try inserting a dollar bill in the gaps around your windows If you find a gap wider than a nickel you should reapply a fresh coat Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/save-money/fall-home-maintenance-checklist#ixzz26NPhbhVc
- Clean out your gutters to prevent water backups that may ruin your roof or siding.
- Winterize your exterior irrigation systems. Water left in the system can freeze causing pipes to burst.
- Clean your chimney to prevent fires and carbon monoxide from creeping into your home.
- Install carbon monoxide detectors.
- Test your existing fire alarms and replace the batteries in battery operated systems.
10. Change the filter in the hood of your kitchen range.
By taking the time to attend to these maintenance issues now, you will decrease the likelihood that you will experience a headache-inducing problem this winter. See you in the spring!
