·
Check your heating
system including filters, pilot lights and burners. Have the system serviced by
a qualified professional. Cleaning and servicing now can save you money later.
Learn steps to boost your furnace's efficiency and how to replace your furnace
filter.
·
Clean and vacuum dust
from vents, baseboard heaters and cold-air returns. Dust build-up in ducts is a
major cause of indoor pollutants and can increase incidences of cold-weather
illnesses. Consider hiring a pro to clean hard-to-reach ductwork.
·
Paint interior rooms
while it's still warm enough to leave windows open. Ditto for shampooing or
replacing carpets. Give a fresh start to your interiors just in time for fall
and winter parties and family gatherings. Learn painting steps to success --
how to choose the right paint, how to solve paint problems and more.
·
Caulk exterior joints
around windows and doors. Caulking helps keep your house weather-tight and
lowers heating and cooling bills. It can also help keep insects and other
"critters" out of your house. When you caulk before painting, it
eliminates edges where the paint may start to peel.
·
Protect your home from
uninvited critters. As urban limits expand, more and more homeowners have to
contend with wildlife in their yards and houses. Installing grates, securing
trash containers, even humane traps may help
·
Start to put away tools
and equipment left outdoors during the summer such as play equipment, lawn
mowers, barbeques, gardening tools and hoses. It may be time to winterize your
pool, too.
·
It's time to think
about the condition of your roof. Be proactive and prevent emergency -- and
expensive --repairs. Find out about common trouble spots and how to locate a
leak from inside.
·
Next to checking your
roof, insulating your home is one of the most important tasks to accomplish
before the onslaught of winter. Insulation goes beyond simple weather-stripping
and caulking (see #4) and may be a job for professionals. The money and energy
you'll save will make the job worth it.
· You insulate and weather-strip and think that you have your home all sealed up for winter. But there are some inconspicuous spots through which heat can escape. Learn how to seal these gaps too. Inspect and clean your storm windows to get them ready for installation. Storm windows can help you save energy during the cold months and are significantly less expensive than putting in new double- or triple-glazed windows.