Ready Your Home for Chilly Weather Ahead!

For most of us, it's time to start winterizing our home. I know it's still fall and I know that ultra cold and snow are still in the future, but NOW is the time to get ready - not when there's a blizzard going on and you suddenly realize that the drapes are billowing with the wind and the furnace seems to be working very hard and not making much progress.

Start outside the house. Drain hoses and make sure outside faucets are ready for the first freeze, then check around the foundation of the house to make sure there are no new cracks or gaps that need to be filled.

Gutters need to be cleaned of leaves as autumn progresses, and chimneys and vents need to be checked for leaks.

Cover and/or store your outdoor furniture and make sure all the garden and lawn tools are brought in, cleaned and stored.

Look around the windows and do any needed caulking. Even newer windows may have cracks around the outside frames.

If you have plants that need special care before winter, now is the time to do it, or at least plan for dividing, mulching and cutting back.

Doing these things is much more pleasant when the skies are blue, the grass is still growing and the air is warm.