1. Rake the Leaves
Raking the leaves may seem tedious but it’s a must to prep your yard for winter. Leaves lying on your yard all winter long can actually damage your grass and plants. A pile of leaves build up on your lawn prevents water evaporation which can cause mold or fungus. So grab your rake, grab your family and make it a day to clean up the yard!
2. Appropriately Store Outdoor Furniture
This time of the year with fall just approaching, you may want to keep your patio furniture outside yet before it gets frigid cold and snow. Create a warm and cozy fall atmosphere in your back yard with some string lights, fluffy pillows and blankets, and of course, a fireplace. Take advantage of your outside gathering area for as long as you can. Just remember that as we approach November and it gets colder, set aside some time to find an appropriate indoor storage spot for your outdoor furniture.
3. Fall Decor
Take a weekend to give the outside of your home a fall makeover. Not into Halloween or Fall? Do you hate rotting pumpkins? No problem. Opt for minimal decor that can still make a statement and give your home some curb appeal. Maybe add a few Mums to your porch or a fall inspired welcome mat or sign.
4. Seal up the Cracks
Aside from raking up the leaves and adding a little fall decor, there are a few maintenance chores you should do to your home to prep for winter. The fall is prime time for mice to find a warm and comfy home for the winter. Do a scan around your home looking for cracks or holes that they can enter. Mice only need about the size of a pinky finger to get inside your home so be on the look out for all cracks big and small. You should give your home a regular scan once a year.
5. Clean the Gutters
Cleaning your gutters on a regular basis is important but especially in the fall. Leaves will get clogged in your gutters. Leaves remaining in your gutters can prevent the water from disposing properly through the spout and causing the water to leak onto your siding. Which in turn, causes water damage. Water damage to your siding can make for a large expense down the line.
6. Shut off the Outside Water Supply
This may be a chore that can easily slip your mind, especially for some first-time home owners. Leaving the water supply on to your outside hose or sprinklers over the winter can cause your pipes to freeze and could end up breaking, leaving you for another expense in the spring time. Or even worse, flooding your home.
7. Heating System
Lastly, prep your heating system for the winter. Knowing you’ll be running your heat all winter, you want to make sure that your system is in tip-top shape. This involves replacing air filters so that your system can produce clean air. If you know you have an older heating system, it may not be a bad idea to have your system scheduled for maintenance so that you can reduce the risk of a house fire.
Pick a nice non-busy weekend in October or early November and do all of the maintenance chores recommended in this article to ensure that you have safe winter and inexpensive spring. As far as the fall decorating goes, start now! It’s never too early to get festive!