The change of seasons is nature’s reminder to get your home cleaned and organized.
Not so much?
If you haven’t heard Mother Nature knocking, then consider this your fall wake-up call: Clean your house before Old Man Winter arrives!
If you are serious about keeping your home in tip-top condition during the long, harsh winter months, then you have your work cut out for you. There is plenty to be done while the weather is still decent.
Here’s a checklist of tasks that should be tackled this month:
Vacuum: Remove dust from vents, baseboard heaters and cold-air returns. Studies show that dust build-up in ducts is the leading cause of cold-weather illnesses. Cleaning hard-to-reach ductwork can be challenging, so you may consider hiring someone to help.
Check: Thoroughly check your home’s heating system including filters, pilot lights and burners. Replace furnace filters in the fall. If you haven’t done so in a while you may consider having the system examined, cleaned and serviced by a professional. A clean system will help increase your furnace’s efficiency.
Caulk: Before the temperatures dip below freezing, it’s important to caulk exterior joints around your home’s windows and doors. Proper caulking helps seal your house from bitter winds and lowers heating bills. It also helps keep insects out of your house.
Organize: Circle your property and look for tools and equipment left outdoors during the summer. Play equipment, patio furniture, lawn mowers, barbeques, gardening tools and hoses can be cleaned and stored for the winter. If you have a pool, then you might spend the next couple of weekends winterizing it, depending on what part of the country you reside.
Clean: Now is the time to inspect and clean your storm windows prior to installing them for the winter. Consider investing in storm windows if you are looking for an easy way to cut down on energy costs during the winter months. You’ll find that storm windows are a lot less expensive than installing new double- or triple-glazed windows.