Fall Home Maintenance List for a Cozy Winter
Get yourself ready for fall and winter with this easy to do fall home maintenance list that will make sure you have a cozy, efficient season!
Gimme all the sweater weather! Amiright?
It’s that time of year when Hygge is on our mind and cozy nights with some whiskey-apple ciders… aka HOODIE SEASON.
This also means winter is coming.
The best way to ensure a cozy, efficient fall and winter is to do a few things to prep your home as winter approaches.
Outdoors:
- Relax and DON’T rake the leaves! Leaves actually help your lawn, wildlife, and insects. “As one plant and soil specialist, Dr. Thomas Nikoai of Michigan State University, put it, leaving the leaves on the lawn is ” … not only not a problem, it’s awesome.” If you want to dig deeper, head over here to the full article on treehugger. If you’re like us and have dogs, leaves can be a little bit cumbersome in terms of keeping a clean yard when it comes to dog poop, so I love their suggestion of raking it and leaving it in piles on brown spots in the lawn, plant beds and around trees.
- Clear your gutters and spouts and make sure they’re facing away from the house.
- Disconnect and drain your hose or any other water systems so they don’t freeze and cause leaks.
- Touch up paint spots on the exterior and stain the deck if it’s looking a little worn. Head over here to find paint companies that are eco-friendly and safe for you.
- Check your outdoor vents to be sure they’re clear of debris.
- Put away outdoor furniture & decor before the snow falls. We’ve had (mostly) luck leaving our grills out through the winter in case there’s a nice day to use it, however, we have lost it over the side once or twice.
- Cut back any trees and shrubs that may do damage once they are heavy with snow. Look for ones that will scratch the house or hang low over vehicles.
- Do a walk around your house and check for any damage that needs repair before the harsh weather can make it worse.
- Replace outdoor light bulbs that are burnt out with eco-friendly ones and wipe down the fixture. With winter also comes shorter days so clean up your outdoor lights and make sure they’re ready to shine when you need them.
Do you have a fall routine that gets you ready for the cold weather? Let me know in the comments below what your go-tos are for saving money and making sure your home is weatherproof!
Indoors
- Seal your windows and doors up tight so you don’t waste energy. If the problem is between the two window panes, try using some rope caulk.
- Change your furnace filter. If you’re in a cold area and you know your furnace is going to be working really hard, make sure the filter is new or in good shape.
- Reverse your ceiling fans so that they push the rising heat down.
- Use the programmer on your thermostat. Heat uses lots of energy and it’s easy to forget to turn the furnace down when life rushes you out the door. Putting it on a schedule will save you energy and money!
- Check your carbon monoxide alarm. With the windows shut all winter you want to be sure your safe from this odorless toxin.
- Insulate exposed pipes. Think attic and crawl spaces to prevent freezing.
Have you already started your winter home prep? I’ve found it easiest to tackle a couple of tasks a day until they’re done.
Cozy blanket photo cred: Photo by Alex Geerts on Unsplash , Pumpkin photo cred: Photo by Brigitte Tohm on Unsplash
