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Contributors, Household Stuff, Kids & Parenting · September 29, 2015

How to Prepare Your Home for Fall and Winter: 6 Must-Do Tasks


How to Prepare Your Home for Fall and Winter 6 Must-Do Tasks

Has the change in the weather got you Googling “How to prepare your home for Fall and Winter?”

Yes you’re smart to be thinking of preparing your home for the cooler weather because not only will you save money, you’ll also be protecting your home and your family.

On that note, here are the 6 must-do tasks for every homeowner as they prep their house for Fall and Winter.

1. Clear Out the Fireplace and Chimney

Start by clearing out the fireplace and removing any charred wood or ash that may have collected, especially if you used the fireplace during the summer.

Also make sure that the damper is working and flue is closed so that heat doesn’t leak out and that the flues are operating properly too. You may be surprised to find a bird’s nest at the top of an open flue so yes, make sure that you check thoroughly.

For chimney cleaning, I’d recommend hiring a professional cleaner or chimney sweep who can also give your fireplace a thorough check.

2. Clean the Gutters and Drain the Faucets

Inspect and clean the gutters to prevent clogging. Clogged gutters can damage the exterior or flood your basement and trust me, you don’t want either of those happening when the weather gets chilly.

Clean the gutters by scooping out all the leaves and debris and then install mesh guards to keep them clear as well.

Outdoor faucets called silcocks and in-ground irrigation systems need to be drained and shut off so that they don’t freeze and burst.

3. Inspect the Roof and the Driveways

Now is a good time to get on the roof and inspect it for leaky vents, broken shingles or corrosion and then, hire a professional to fix it for you. Fixing a potentially leaky roof when it isn’t raining or snowing is much better than trying to find the source of the leak when it does get cold, windy and rainy.

Do the same for the driveway and look for cracks, loose railings and uneven sections on the sidewalk and steps. Icy weather can be quite dangerous when you have an unsafe driveway or steps.

4. Change the Batteries in your Smoke Alarms

Does your area’s Fire Department run a “fire alarm battery change” campaign when Daylight Savings kicks in?

Even if it doesn’t, now is a good time to check your battery operated smoke alarms and the electrical ones. Replace the batteries and test all alarms to make sure they’re working.

Here's a checklist for how to prepare your home for fall and winter.

5. Check the Heating System and Ready the Water Heater

Replace or clean the filters for your centralized heating system. Also test the heating system by turning it on and clear out any dust buildup as well. Remember to stay out of the house and also air the house when you get back in.

6. Fall Homekeeping Basics

Now is a good time to do few housekeeping tasks to make sure that the transition to cooler climes is easier for everyone:

  • Bring out the winter bed linen- quilts, comforters, blankets. Bring them out, clean them, air them and get them ready for us.
  • Wash the windows and dust the baseboards, walls and ceilings.
  • Give your upholstery a cleaning and replace the light summer curtains with heavy winter ones to keep out drafts and also, add warmth to the décor.
  • Remove screens and store them {after labeling them so you remember which one goes where} and replace them with storm windows.

So, there you have it. A ready reckoner of everything you need to get in shipshape form for Fall and Winter.

When do YOU start preparing your home for the cooler temperatures?

Prerna-MalikAbout Prerna:

Prerna Malik is the owner of The Mom Writes, a site that offers smart solutions to work-at-home moms. When she isn’t blogging for a living or running a social media agency with her husband, she’s baking cupcakes with her daughter or organizing a closet in her home.  Download her free eBooks on organizing and productivity for busy mom entrepreneurs today!


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In: Contributors, Household Stuff, Kids & Parenting · Tagged: Contributors, Fall, home, Prerna Malik, Winter

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Comments

  1. Joyce Brewer (@MommyTalkShow) says

    September 30, 2015 at 7:51 am

    I’ve already started changing batteries around our home so I can be pro-active instead of reactive.

    Reply
    • The Cubicle Chick says

      September 30, 2015 at 9:58 pm

      The changing of the seasons is a great reminder to make sure to change the batteries in smoke detectors. We have seven of them in our home so its a chore, but also a necessary one 🙂

      Reply
    • Prerna Malik says

      October 1, 2015 at 9:10 pm

      Yay!! Being proactive always pays off!! Thanks for sharing Joyce!

      Reply
  2. Marielle Legair says

    September 30, 2015 at 9:20 pm

    Thanks for the handy tips! I definitely must change the batteries in my smoke alarm.

    Reply
    • The Cubicle Chick says

      September 30, 2015 at 9:58 pm

      Thanks for commenting. Here’s to a fab fall season 🙂

      Reply
    • Prerna Malik says

      October 1, 2015 at 9:11 pm

      You’re most welcome Marielle! Glad you liked these tips and yes, do change those batteries!! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Judy says

    October 5, 2015 at 12:33 pm

    Yay for this checklist. I have already done a lot of stuff to prepare like checking the heating and changing the curtains, but forgot about the batteries for the smoke alarm. Thanks!

    Reply
  4. Margie Gross says

    January 8, 2016 at 4:50 am

    Really wonderful tips and ideas! We have moved to our new house just before the winter starts – in the beginning of December. We had to prepare the house for the cold months but it was really difficult to do that because we moved there so recently before the winter starts. It would’ve been great if I have found your post before the move! We were lucky that the heating system is working great, the roof seems to be in perfect condition, too. Thanks for the post! 🙂

    Reply
  5. Paul Langley says

    January 19, 2016 at 5:24 pm

    These are some really great tips for anyone who owns a home! I know all too often you get caught off guard, and the first day you need your furnace is not a good day to be making sure it works. But I had never thought about clearing the dust out of the ducting system, I’ll have to make sure I do that this year. Thanks so much for writing!

    Reply
  6. Hazel Owens says

    March 25, 2016 at 11:18 am

    I like your tip to consider hiring a professional chimney cleaner. A professional chimney sweep have the proper tools for the job. Plus, like you said, they’d be able to check the chimney for any issues that need fixing. Thanks for all the tips.

    Reply
  7. Ajdak says

    August 29, 2016 at 7:12 am

    Wow..
    What a lovely post. It is important to be proactive with the change in season. Great ideas communicated from your end to prepare your house for the winter season.
    Replacing or cleaning the filters for the centralized heating system is a must. I never thought of changing the batteries in smoke alarms. It is a handy thing to do. Thanks a ton for sharing your useful thoughts..
    Regards;
    Ajdak

    Reply
  8. gutter cleaning Berkeley Heights NJ says

    December 19, 2016 at 10:51 pm

    Renovations also increases your home’s value when you decide to sell it.

    Reply
  9. Oliver Gutter says

    May 2, 2017 at 8:46 am

    Hey Danyelle,

    Absolutely will take your tips. Great post there! Will bookmarked this. Such an informative tips for home improvements. Thanks for sharing!

    Cheers,
    Oliver

    Reply
  10. Victoria Luisus says

    July 6, 2017 at 11:49 am

    I appreciate your post, the checklists are very useful 🙂 Thanks for sharing the informative post

    Reply
  11. Victoria Luisus says

    July 13, 2017 at 11:58 pm

    these are really useful tips, i will keep in mind all tips so when heading the winter i will make sure all would be done from my end. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  12. Sunny Eunkyu says

    September 10, 2017 at 3:04 pm

    You have created a handy checklist of home maintenance tasks that need to be completed this month, Thanks for the post.

    Reply

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My first full day at #essencefest is in the books. My first full day at #essencefest is in the books. It’s very—different from years past, but I’m proud to be covering it this year. 🙌🏾
Awesome human. Magna Cum Laude. Editor-in-Chief. Awesome human. 
Magna Cum Laude.
Editor-in-Chief.
School podcaster.
Quill and Scroll recipient.
Citizenship award winner.
Spirit of Excellence  Award 8 yrs. running. 
Class of 2022. 
Job well done, daughter!
P R O M. That’s the caption. P R O M. That’s the caption.
You done good, young lady. Now it’s time to soar You done good, young lady. Now it’s time to soar. 🎓#classof2022
Happy #NationalCollegeDecisionDay! Laylah is off Happy #NationalCollegeDecisionDay! 

Laylah is officially registered at St. John’s University and will begin her freshman year in August as a Public Relations Major. I’m so proud of her hard work and dedication—proud of the young woman that she has become.
Allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is.. Dan Allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is.. 

Danyelle Little, the NEW Director of Marketing and Communications at @rungforwomen . Been sitting on this for a while—now it’s officially official. 🙌🏾
Happy 28th birthday to the best son a mom could ev Happy 28th birthday to the best son a mom could ever have. Kind. Supportive. Talented. Creative. Caring. Smart. Courageous. The list goes on and on. You’ve overcome so much in the past year, and I know that God’s plan for you is working. I love you more than words can say. ❤️❤️❤️
And it’s official. Signed, sealed, delivered. Cl And it’s official. Signed, sealed, delivered. Class of 2026! 🙌🏾@stjohnsu #acceptedstudentday
Look for me in the Spring/Summer edition of St. Lo Look for me in the Spring/Summer edition of St. Louis Family Magazine—page 10 to be exact! I’m honored to be able to share a glimpse into my life as an author, Social Media Manager, and most importantly, a mom! 💕
And we have Book #2! My new novel, 'A Wedding On C And we have Book #2! My new novel, 'A Wedding On Clermont Lane', is now available! It's the sequel to my first novel 'Christmas On Clermont Lane', and if you loved the first one, just wait until you read the sequel.

That makes it two novels in five months, and I must say that while I missed my original deadline in February, I am so excited to have this one finished. The support you all showed me during the first release made me warm and fuzzy and so many of you reached out and asked when the next one would be. Well, here you go!

You can purchase 'A Wedding On Clermont Lane' on Amazon Prime, available in paperback for $10.99 and $7.99 for the eBook/Kindle edition. If you'd like a signed copy, a limited amount of copies are available. Hit the link in my bio.

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