Summer is over and you’ve had your fun. You played. You went on road trips. You kept your carpet clean. Those things deserve an applause. But now that summer is over, the Fall Honey Do list rears its ugly head and asks you to make sure that the house is ready for winter.
Living in the desert presents its own set of problems but it also means you have common ones to fix.
Make cleaning your gutters on top of your fall honey do list
Your Fall Honey Do List.
-
Safety First.
Sure the reason to check your house is to save a couple of bucks on your utility bills, but the most important one should be your family’s safety. Make sure the you test smoke and carbon monoxide levels and keep it monitored. Check your fire extinguishers, go over an emergency plan with the family, and get rid of fire hazards. This include newspapers, leftovers oil from car repairs, etc.
Check outside the house. If it rains or snows where you are at (yes, it snows in the desert, too!), it is best to check these things:
-
Gutters and Roof.
Nobody like doing this, but if you collect too much debris in your gutters it cause damage to your house, especially on foundation walls. Keeping it flowing smoothly with save you from dealing with water getting inside your house. Also check your roof for damaged shingles and vents. Clean your gutters and cover it with mesh guards to keep out unwanted debris after you’ve cleaned it.
-
Seal with a Kiss.
No one wants random bursts of cold air when the heater is on. Part of your checklist is to inspect the exterior of your home and look for gaps and cracks around windows and doors. Pick up some weatherstripping and caulk to close that deal.
- Walkways and Driveways. If you have cracks, or protruding parts of your walk and driveway, please fix it. This’ll save you from falling.
After checking those, go inside your home and check these winter must-haves
-
A Good Release.
Drain and winterize faucets and irrigation systems. Leaving these unattended can cause the pipes to freeze and burst.
-
Replace Filters.
All the dust from all that playing have accumulated and are just chilling in the filters. Some filters can be cleaned and reused while others do need to be replaced completely.
-
Your Heating Systems.
This include the furnace and fireplaces. Build up can greatly affect how these things work. For furnaces and gas heaters, have a professional inspect it. They can give you great tips on how to keep it working all winter long.
Now that your family is safe and you have checked the house, have a get together with friends and neighbors and enjoy the great community that you belong in. Share this Fall Honey Do list with everyone and bounce ideas off of each other. For ideas on sprucing the inside of your home, check out our blogs and like our Facebook Community page. Leave a comment if there is anything we missed on this post!
