It’s fall! It’s the time of year when leaves fall, rain starts up again, and the temperature drops. While it’s beautiful, it’s also a time to make some changes around your home. Here is a fall checklist which any homeowner can use to make their home a more comfortable place – and prepare it for winter:
– Test your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detector, make sure your batteries are up-to-date, and clean the dust from the covers
– Clean your kitchen exhaust hood and filter
– Clean your chimneys, check your flues, and make sure your rain cap is on securely
– Get your roof inspected and cleaned, and get your gutters cleaned
– Trim your trees and shrubs – be sure your tree limbs are trimmed away from your roof 
– Stow or cover your outdoor furniture
– Disconnect any outdoor hoses and make sure they are free of water
– Clean your ducts and get your furnace serviced – also, change your furnace filter as needed
– Seal gaps and cracks around the windows and doors with caulk and weather-stripping
– Repair cracks in your walkways and driveway
– Replace any burnt-out outdoor light bulbs
– Get a humidifier and keep it going
– Paint over any peeling paint on the outside of your home
– Clean and stow your yard equipment
– Create a compost pile
– Mulch your plants
– Do a “spring cleaning” in fall
– Fix any leaky faucets and unclog any drains now – before it gets too cold
Overall, be sure to get your home ship-shape, and do anything now that you don’t want to do when it’s cold out.