The mornings are getting a little “crisper”, sunsets are getting earlier, the leaves are changing color and falling to the ground.  It’s that time of year where we transition from the lazy days of summer to the busyness and routine of fall, and eventually the cold of winter will follow.  This is usually a good time to start preparing your home and yard for the months to follow.  I’ve compiled a checklist to help you get started:

1.Have your furnace inspected by a licensed contractor.  Heating systems will use fuel more efficiently, last longer and have fewer problems if properly serviced. It’s a good idea to have your ducts cleaned every few years, especially if you have pets or anyone in your family suffers from allergies. Also be sure to change your furnace filter regularly, it’s recommended every 60-90 days, but use your discretion. Some filters may need to be changed more frequently if you have a large family or pets. Check your outside dryer vent, a clogged vent can lead to a fire.

2.Ensure all your windows and doors are sealed and no gaps are showing, this includes the weather stripping on your garage door. Sealing up a drafty house can save up to 20% on your heating bills. Take out all the screens in your windows, the moisture build up that accumulates in the winter months can cause a seal to break and then you have a “foggy” window, not to mention any mold that may grow from the moisture.

3.Check and replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

4.If you have underground irrigation, be sure to have them blown out before it gets too cold.  A burst sprinkler line can be a costly repair in the spring.  Shut off any outside water faucets as well.

5.Once all the leaves have fallen, clean out your gutters.  Clogged gutters can lead to damaged exterior surfaces and water in your basement.

6.Even though summer is over, you still need to give your yard a little TLC so that it can have a healthy start in spring. As the leaves fall, it’s a good idea to rake them up regularly, even after the trees are bare be sure to rake up the corners where the wind piles them up.  If you don’t come spring, the grass under those soggy leaves will be a dead mat.

7.Mow your grass up to the first hard frost, even though it’s cold, grass continues to grow until then.  An ideal height is 2 ½ to 3 inch height, if it gets too long it will mat and be vulnerable to fungi like snow mold.

8.Give your lawn one last fertilize late fall.  Grass roots benefit from a shot of the plant sugars that protects roots from freezing and give the entire plant the energy to bounce back in the spring.

9.Not all perennials and shrubs require cutting back in the fall, some benefit from early spring cut backs.  For a more detailed guide on what to do go to greenlandgarden.com

10.With the darkness of fall and winter, check all your outside lights and replace them with Energy efficient bulbs.

This may seem like a long list but a well maintained home will save you costly repairs in the future.