It's fall, y'all
- Jessica Josenhans
- Oct 15, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 18, 2024
It's that time of year again, and I don't mean pumpkin spice.
It's time to make sure your oil and propane tanks are full, your chimneys have been swept, and you've got enough firewood to last you a winter. If you need any recommendations on what maintenance you should be doing or recommended companies, I'm here for you.
Here's my list of 12 integral things to do as a home owner before winter hits!
Get an inspector in to make sure that your furnace and/or heat pump are in good working order. If you have a fireplace, get your chimney swept and stove inspected. If you heat with propane, oil, or gas, make sure your tank is full.
For those of you who heat with wood, make sure you have all of your wood delivered. If you haven't ordered yet, get on it or you may be waiting until the snow falls.
Re-stock all of your winter essentials. That means bags of salt for melting ice around your walkway and anything you may need but might not be able to get mid-snowstorm. Get your kit ready for your car including a shovel, blanket, candle, and snacks in case you get stuck in a snowstorm.
Reversing your ceiling fans allows you to push the hot air up by your ceiling down into your living spaces.
Clean your gutters of all of the fallen leaves to prevent ice dams. If frozen water accumulates too much, the meltwater may be forced into your home depending on what downspout system you have installed. Make sure your downspouts are at least 3 feet away from your house, and that the grade runs away from your foundation.
Walk around your home and check all of your windows and doors for leaks. These are seen in small cracks where your windows and doors meet the wood around them, and you can fill that with interior/exterior caulk. Silicone caulk will make certain that the elements do not make their way inside your home. Your doors may need new weather stripping, which you can buy from your local hardware store.
You can also get a home energy auditor in to tell you all of the places where cold air is coming in, and they can even give you recommendations for energy upgrades you may be considering. Check out >
Look at your roof to make sure all of your shingles look good, if you see damage, those areas are likely to leak and become worse during the winter storms. Replace the damaged areas yourself if you have the expertise, or call your trusted handyman.
Turn off all exterior faucets, and even those in your basement if the space is poorly insulated. The last thing you want is a pipe to burst from expanding ice. If you have a lawn irrigation system, get it drained and turned off by a professional.
Studies now say that leaving your leaves, and 'mulching' them using your lawnmower will allow them to decompose and give nutrients to your lawn throughout the winter months. Less effort and more return than raking your leaves. Make sure you also winterize your lawnmower, weather that means covering it or moving it into a shed. Stabilize the fuel and run the engine to circulate the stabilizer, or if you don't regularly use any stabilizer, run the engine until all of the fuel is used up. Check the user manual to see if any further steps are necessary.
You may think it's time to prune your shrubs as your putting all of your equipment away for the winter months. Not true. It's best to save your pruning for the late winter.
If you have a sump pump, test it to make sure it's in good working order, these instructions will be in your user manual.
Any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch!
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