Getting Your Home Ready for Fall
September 26, 2017
Are you and your home ready for the fall? Here are some tips on how to get yourself and your home ready for Fall and the cooler Saskatchewan weather that’s just around the corner.
Tip One: Plant Bulbs For Spring Flowers
There are a variety of flowers to plant in the Fall that will bloom in the Spring, so get some Fall gardening done before the ground freezes. Consider spring flowers such as tulip, iris, daffodil, hyacinth and lily.
Source: Bulbs Direct
Tip Two: Check The Furnace & Boiler To Get Ready For Fall
Make sure everything is running smoothly when the temperatures drop. Get your furnace inspected and make sure to change the filters in your furnace regularly throughout the fall and winter. This will also help keep energy costs down.
Tip Three: Clean The Gutters And Downspout
Hire a service or do it yourself but make sure to remove leaves, nests, and debris from gutter and check for leaks.
Tip Four: Inspect Your Roof
Inspect your roof from top to bottom and use binoculars if necessary. Check ridge shingles for cracks and wind damage. Scan the roof for missing, curled, or damaged shingles. Look in your gutters for large accumulations of granules, which can be a sign that your roof is losing its coating.
Tip Five: Organize Fall and Winter Toolbox
Organize your garage or shed and get all of your fall and winter tools in an easy and accessible location. For Fall, get your leaf blower, broom, rake and gardening tools ready. For winter, make sure you have your ice scraper, ice salts, snow shovel and snow blower available as you never know when the first snowfall will land.
Tip Six: Check For Drafts
Feel for drafts around the edges of windows and doors. A good tip is to use a lighted candle and if the flame flickers, there’s most likely a draft. Replace seals and repair caulking around window and door frames and consider buying heavier or insulated drapery for drafty windows.
Tip Seven: Turn Off Faucets and Store Hoses
Drain garden hoses and disconnect from the outside spigots. Shut off exterior faucets and turn off the valve inside your home. Store hoses in a dry place so any residual water will not freeze. You need to make sure your sprinklers are blown out if you have sprinklers or they too will freeze and crack.
Tip Eight: Cozy Bedding
And last but not least, take out your down comforters, cotton sheets, knits and give them a good wash. Store them in a convenient closet so when it gets cooler, you are not roaming around looking for them.