Remember to set back your clocks Halloween night. November 1st daylight savings time ends and we all “fall back” an hour. You can also use this as a reminder to prepare your home for the cold winter months ahead. Here are a few fall maintenance tips that can prevent future household problems and help maintain your home.
1. Check the batteries in your smoke alarms and replace them if needed.Take a look at your caron monoxide detectors if you have them at this time.
2. Clean gutters and downspouts around your home. Check for any blockages.
3. Trim any low hanging tree branches near your roof. Pick up fallen limbs around the yard and rake leaves. A good investment if you have alot of trees is a leaf sweeper and leaf blower. It can really save alot of time and hassle!
4. Clean your chimney.Cleaning it often could help to prevent
a chimney fire from a build up of creosote.
5. Turn off exterior faucets and unhook water hoses. Drain out any water. Don’t forget to do the same to your bird bath.
6. Replace the filters on your furnace. A clean filter can save you money each month on your electric bill. Also have your heating system serviced if you haven’t done it in a while.
7. Vacuum your refridgerator coils. This also can save you $ on your electric bill.
8. Clean your dryer vent and check the exhaust duct to make sure that exhaust air is escaping while the dryer is running. Cleaning your lint screen after drying every load of clothes is a great habit to develop to keep your dryer running smoothly.
9. Check your indoor plumbing for any leaky pipes or clogs in drains.
10. Apply caulking and weatherstripping around doors or windows where cold air could be coming in.
11. Make sure that any backup heating source that you might use if
the power goes out such as a gas fireplace or woodstove is in good working order. Same goes for a generator.
12. Get together some emergency supplies if you haven’t already. After the big freeze and long power outage that we all went through last year in Northeast Arkansas it’s better to be prepared. Stock up on candles, flashlights, batteries,bottled water, extra blankets, and canned food. You might even consider purchasing a camp stove or other cold weather gear that might come in handy.
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