7 Easy Steps To Prepare Your Home For Fall

With fall and winter upon us, it is important to prepare your home for harsh weather conditions. The following checklist is must-do seasonal maintenance, that will keep your home in good working condition.

1. Clean out your gutters.

Your home's gutters drain thousands of gallons of water from your roof every year. Therefor, it is important to keep them free from dirt, leaves, branches etc... Clogged gutters can result in a flooded interior and damage to your exterior.

2. Check for drafts.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy heat loss through windows is responsible for 25-30 percent of heating energy use. To help combat heat loss weatherstripping is simple to install, and one of the most cost-effective ways to keep heating costs down.

3. Drain your outdoor faucets.

It is very important to drain and disconnect all garden hoses from outside spigots to prevent any water freezing. You will also want to take this time to drain your backflow preventer, and blow out your sprinkler system to prevent pipes from freezing.

4. Bring your outdoor furniture in.

To help get the most out of your outdoor furniture, it is best to store it in the garage or shed during the harsh winter months. If you don't have anywhere to store the furniture, then you should cover it in a waterproof furniture cover.

5. Change your filters.

Clogged filters will increase your heating bills. It is important to clean these filters monthly, not just before the fall. Disposable filters can be vacuumed one time before you replace it, and foam filters can just be vacuumed and not replaced.

6. Fertilize your lawn.

Prepping your lawn for fall and winter is very important. Roots are still active when the grass isn't growing, so applying fertilizer will prevent winter damage. Doing this will also help your lawn turn green faster in the spring.

7. Change your batteries.

It is important to make sure all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide devices are working. Once a year you should change out the batteries on these devices.