Fall is a wonderful time of year. Changing leaf colours, back-to-school shopping, and seasonal food and drinks are just some of the things that mark the start of this amazing season! With these changes, however, also comes the time for household chores to prepare your home for incoming cold weather. It can be a hurdle for some to overcome and you may be asking yourself how to properly get your house ready for fall.
Here are some helpful tips and tricks to getting started. It’s important to be proactive and start thinking of what you can do around your home to prepare for the fall. Otherwise, you may face issues come wintertime when cold weather and snow come in.
Rearrange Furniture
Fall is the best time to rearrange your sofas, cushions, or recliners by moving them away from draft doors and windows; you can also store any outside furniture in the garage or shed. This is to not only keep you warmer but also encourage you to use the thermostat less often. It also helps to rotate your furniture to help them fade and wear more evenly. For those chilly nights, you can also bring out the blanket throws and pillows to help keep you warm and snug.
Clean Carpets and Rugs
Dust and foul odours can gradually collect over your carpets or rugs during the summer and the fall is the perfect time to clean them in preparation for the frigid weather. You can use cleaners to shampoo them and vacuum cleaners to remove excess debris. The cold weather also makes it easier for you to air dry your carpets afterwards that can prevent mildew or foul stenches from sticking onto them.
Replace & Hang Heavier Curtains or Drapes
Weightier curtains and drapes will help insulate your home for the upcoming fall season. Whereas lighter or clearer curtains are most ideal during the hot, summer weather, hanging heavier drapes or curtains around your home can keep the heat in. Moreover, this works much better if your curtains are dark and you’ll find great results when you close them before sunset.
Seal Drafts & Air Leaks
There can be a good number of drafts or leaks in your home that can make your rooms less warm. To prevent this, inspect certain nooks, crannies, and corners to see if there’s any exposure and then seal them up with either a special insulations glue or tape to lock in the hot air – this will save you the trouble of turning your thermostat up during those chilly nights.
Inspect Your Furnace & Thermostat
Fall is usually the time when most people have technicians inspect their HVAC units for repairs or maintenance. In addition to changing filters and the efficiency of the unit, they’ll also do a carbon monoxide check to make sure everything’s safe. It’s also a good time to program your thermostat to automatically lower the temperature at night or when you’re away. This helps you save a lot of money on energy bills and guarantees that you’re only using heat when you’re home.
Check Your Home Safety Devices
Devices such as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are integral to keeping your home safe. Make sure to test if they’re working by checking the sound if possible. If the batteries are low, replace them. If the devices aren’t working properly, consider buying a new one if you can’t fix it. You will thank yourself later for making sure your home safety devices are working properly during drops in temperature.
Inspect the Exterior of Your Home
To prepare for the fall and winter weather, it’s important you check the exterior of your home, starting with the roof and/or chimney or fireplace. You can also clean up the heavily used gutter and water drainage to make sure they’re not blocking important pathways.
Do Some Landscaping
Before the snow and ice come in, you can check your trees to make sure no branches are broken and trim down shrubs, bushes, flowers for the colder season. You can also plant bulbs that will be ready to bloom in the spring, clean up and remove excess leaves around the yard, and fertilize your lawn to prevent damage.
Organize the Garage
Fall is the perfect time to store away any furniture or seasonal items in your backyard. You can also take the time to clean and organize things in the garage and test out generators to make sure they’re working and ensure snow blowers and machines are ready for winter and double-check if you have extra gasoline.
Fall is almost here – get your home prepared with Healthy Choices Hub today!