Thanks for stopping by, for more great DIY tips and tricks check out my new site FrugallyBlonde.com.
Today is the first day of fall and before you know it all the leaves will be off the trees and snow will be coming. The Farmer’s Almanac is predicting a worse winter than last year. Following the few steps below in the fall can help ensure a easier winter.
Replacing your air filter is a must before winter comes. Before you switch on the heat for the season it is good to have a new air filter. If your filter is dirty and clogged then your furnace will have to work harder at pushing the air through. If you are always forgetting to change your air filters you can set up auto-delivery with Amazon. Our filters need to be replaced every 3 months, so we have it set up so every three months Amazon
Have your chimney checked. If you have a working chimney you should have it checked every year. Creosote can build up on the walls of your chimney and cause problems. During the chimney inspection they can let you know if a cleaning is necessary.
Clean your heating vents. I am always surprised what we find in our vents. We have found socks, tennis balls, even a barbie shoe. I don’t know how they get in there, but obviously the room will not heat properly with a tennis ball shoved in the vent. I like to take off the vent covers and vacuum inside them. This will also help get rid of any dust so you don’t send it into the air when you turn on your furnace.
Take down your garden hoses. This is a easy, but important task. If you don’t take off the hoses then you risk a frozen pipe over the winter. It only takes a few minutes to take them off. I like to lay them out on our driveway for a couple hours so they drain. Then, put them up for the winter. We just store them in our garage.
If you have a sprinkler system you will need to have it winterized. In most areas they use PVC pipe underground for the sprinkler system. If water is left in it you run the risk of it freezing and bursting the pipe. Sprinkler systems should not only be drained, but also “blown out”. To do this you will need a compressor or you can have a sprinkler company do this for you.
Spray for insects/ check vents and openings. As soon as the weather starts to get cold I feel like all the spiders and bugs try to make their way into my house. I like to do a spray all around the foundation of my home, plus around doors and windows. While I am doing this I check all my vents and any openings to make sure they are secure to keep critters out over winter.
Check your gutters for leaves and debris. If you have trees near your house you can accumulate a lot of leaves and debris in your gutters. The leaves and debris can stop water from flowing properly and risk freezing when it is cold. Check to make sure all of your gutters are free from debris. We found a gutter scoop that works really well. It only takes a few minutes to clean the gutters.
Check the weather striping on the doors. My dogs love to jump up and scratch to get let in. Because of this our weather striping needs replaced often. It’s very easy to replace the weather striping. You can just pick some up at a home improvement store. It only takes about 15 minutes for each door.
Switch the direction your ceiling fans go. During the winter you want your ceiling fans running in a clockwise direction. This will force the warm air down and warm the room. You can see a detailed guide to changing the ceiling fans here.
It only takes a couple of hours to get your home ready for winter. By doing so you can save yourself both time and money. What steps do you take to winterize your home?
Thanks for stopping by, for more great DIY tips and tricks check out my new site FrugallyBlonde.com.