Preparing Your Home for Fall & Winter
Cooler temperatures. Fallen leaves. Nature decorated in shades of red, orange and yellow. These can only be signs of one thing: summer has faded away - and the fall and winter seasons are upon us! While it is easy to get caught up in the fun and excitement of picking apples, choosing the perfect pumpkin and dressing in a cozy sweater, it’s important to remember that your home may require some preparation for the colder weather.
In this article, we will discuss the importance of preparing your home for colder weather and provide you with helpful checklists to stay on track!
Why Prepare Your Home for Colder Weather?
There are a number of tacks that a responsible homeowner must perform during the transition from one season to another. These tasks can help to protect your home from the elements, while creating a better quality of life for those residing inside.
These home preparations are especially important during the transition from summer to fall, as they set the foundation for protecting your home throughout the long, cold and often harsh Canadian winters.
Once the ground freezes and snow begins to fall, it can be difficult to perform many of these duties. For this reason and many more, is why it’s so important to begin your cold weather preparations sooner rather than later.
Interior Fall & Winter Checklist
To begin, let’s first discuss the preparations that should be done inside your home.
Inspect Doors and Windows for Drafts
As the temperature continues to drop, chances are you will be turning on the heating system within your home. To help reduce the risk of heat escaping and cool air entering your home, it’s important that you take some time to check for drafts.
Inspect windows, doors and other entry points for drafts and seal them using appropriate caulking as needed.
Arrange for an HVAC Inspection
This transition in season is the perfect opportunity to have your HVAC inspected, and if needed, cleaned or repaired. The technician can help ensure that all is operating properly and safely, so that you can enjoy a heated home throughout the fall and winter months.
Test Smoke Alarms & Carbon Dioxide Detectors
Cooler weather generally means that we will be spending more and more time indoors. Help keep you and your family safe by inspecting and testing the smoke and carbon dioxide detectors within your home.
Purchase a Humidifier and/or an Air Purifier
Most homeowners choose to keep their windows closed during the winter months, which means that the ventilation within your home may be reduced when compared to the spring and summer.
Invest in better air quality within your home by purchasing a humidifier and/or an air purifier!
Inspect Fireplace and Chimney
Do you have an operational fireplace? This is the best time to inspect your fireplace and ensure that it is in good working order. Especially if you plan to enjoy cozy nights with a crackling fire!
Clean your fireplace, check for hazards and address any damage. Some homeowners may opt to have a professional, such as a chimney sweep, perform the inspection and repairs.
Reverse Your Ceiling Fans
Did you know that the direction of your ceiling fans can be changed? While moving in one direction, your ceiling fan can create a cool breeze, while in the other direction, it can create a warming effect.
We suggest cleaning your ceiling fan and performing a quick inspection to ensure proper operation. Once the ceiling fan is in tip-top shape, you can flip the switch and reverse the direction.
Clean Carpets
The transition from summer to fall, and winter to spring, are simply the best times to clean your carpets.
Remove any dirt, debris and discolouration from the previous summer season and take a fresh step into fall and winter with carpets that look and smell great! This is also a great time to clean your carpets as you can open your doors and/or windows to allow for a fresh breeze, helping to dry them quickly and effectively.
Adjust the Thermostat
Taking some time to adjust the settings on your thermostat can help to set you up for success this fall and winter. Keep your home perfectly heated and the stress off of your wallet with pre-programmed settings.
Decorate!
Now that the interior of your home is ready for the fall and winter, it’s time to really kick things up a notch and decorate!
For fall, we suggest incorporating yellow, orange and brown colours throughout, with pillow covers, tea towels, bedding, table runners, artwork, and seasonal decor. You may also want to consider adding a flare of fall to your front porch and backyard with pumpkins, hay bales, corn stalks, and mums!
For winter, we suggest decorating in a way that meets your lifestyle and aesthetic. Some may choose to decorate for seasonal holidays with string lights, an evergreen tree and decorations, while others opt to keep things neutral with bursts of green, red, white, or gold. Similar to fall, you can easily swap out your hand towels, pillow covers, bedding, artwork, and table decor to fit the season!
Exterior Fall & Winter Checklist
Now that the interior of your home is prepared for fall, winter and everything in between, let’s take a closer look at your exterior fall and winter checklist!
Store Outdoor Furniture, Decor and Items
With beautiful summer weather, many of us prefer to spend our free time outdoors. The more time you spend enjoying the outside of your home, the increased need for creature comforts. This may include outdoor furniture, such as a conversation set, patio table and chairs, or a sectional.
While many pieces of outdoor furniture are crafted using top-quality materials that allow them to endure the elements, 365 days a year, it is recommended that you safely store them indoors during the colder months to help preserve their quality.
To get started, you may want to first create room within your shed, garage or designated storage area. Next, take some time to clean your outdoor furniture, decor and other personal items and then store them away.
Organize Your Garage or Shed
As mentioned above, organizing your garage or shed can be helpful when storing outdoor items and furniture for the colder months. Whether you are storing outdoor furniture or not, it is still a good idea to give these spaces some TLC.
You may want to first take everything out of the garage or shed, then give the space a good clean. Once the area is clear of dirt, dust and debris, slowly bring your items back inside and organize them as needed. This will help to provide you with easier access to certain tools, items and pieces of furniture or equipment.
Check the Foundation for Cracks
Inspecting the foundation of your home for cracks and sealing using exterior caulking is one of the least expensive updates that you can make. Not only that, but it can pay off greatly when it comes to the insulation of your home and heating/cooling costs throughout the year.
Inspect the Exterior for Damage
While looking for cracks in the foundation, keep an eye out for any exterior damage. It’s important that you address damage sooner rather than later, as small problems can worsen over the winter months.
Inspect for the following exterior damage:
Missing or loose shingles
Loose or rotten deck boards
Broken or damaged steps
Peeling paint
Loose or fallen tree branches
Rips or holes in window screens
Weather stripping
This is a great opportunity to also inspect your outdoor lights. You may need to replace a bulb or two! This can be especially important, as the sun sets much earlier in the fall and winter months. This means that there is an increased need for your exterior lighting.
Clean Gutters and Downspouts
A good cleaning can help to ensure that your gutters and downspouts remain in operational condition. When cleaning your gutters, be sure to have another person or two for safety and efficiency.
You may need to use a ladder, which will require a spotter!
Check Snow Removal Equipment
Whether you depend on a snow blower or shovel for snow removal, this is a great time to inspect that your equipment is in working order. When the first snowfall arrives, you will be prepared with equipment that is ready to handle the job.
Lawn and Garden Care
Your lawn and garden care should never go overlooked.
In the fall, you are presented with the perfect opportunity for a little TLC. The cool, yet damp, conditions are ideal for planting perennials and preparing your landscape for the upcoming months of cold weather, ice and snow.
We suggest the following lawn and garden care:
Mowing, aerating and fertilizing the lawn
Trimming back flowers, plants and bushes
Using landscape fabric to protect delicate plants
Looking for guidance and support? Visit your local landscape store for more information. The helpful associates are experts in everything fall and winter landscape preparation, and will often be happy to help!
Are You Planning to List This Fall or Winter?
Are you planning to list your home this fall or winter? While cold weather preparation for your home is exceptionally important, so is working with the right local real estate agent.
With years of experience in the Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo real estate markets, our team is more than happy to help you with the sale of your home. For help getting started or more information, get in touch today!
