15 Oct Fall is Here – My Absolute Favorite Time of the Year! Are you Ready??
In our home growing up, the crisp, clean Fall weather, replacing the sultry days of summer and the effects of air stagnancy from extended months of heat, coupled together with many wonderful holidays, made Fall (October in particular) a time of high adrenalin and sleepless nights of anticipation, for what was coming next. Starting with Mom and Dad’s anniversary on the 1st, followed by Thanksgiving and visits from relatives, flowing into our annual Church Bazaar, mine and then my sister’s birthdays and ending with Halloween, contributed to a deep and abiding love for this time of the year.
Although I looked forward to Fall more than any other season, even from the time I was very young, from a grownup perspective, it now takes on an additional and highly important marking of my calendar. As a homeowner, I want to make certain I am ready for what is coming next! So, at this time of the year, I find it is also very good to make sure certain items around the home are well taken care of, long before old man winter hits! Are You Ready?? Here are a few of our Check Points.
- Furnace Filters =Filters should be checked frequently but especially with winter coming, both for cleanliness of inside air and energy efficiency.
- Clean up the Yard – Put away all summer furniture, bikes etc. and make sure there are no “homes for rodents” seeking shelter from the cold, available, or being damaged by the excessive cold that is coming. Any containers with standing water need to be emptied too
- Check Your Sprinklers-You’ll save money and water by adjusting your sprinkler settings. Reduce the number of days you’re watering as grass does not need much watering in rainy Fall weather and be ready to put it all away early enough to drain hose and prevent damage and cracking
- Check for Insufficient Insulation or Gaps- Check for gaps in your home where rodents can gain entrance or where heat will escape and cold can enter in. It’s worth the effort to walk your home with an eagle eye, inside and out…The old “Ounce of Prevention” holds very true.
- Check Appliances – nonworking stoves, fireplaces, woodstoves etc can be miserable in winter
- Roof – Any shingles missing – Clogged eaves troughs? Time to fix or clean up
- Check overhanging branches – any that can cause damage in high winds?
- Fun Time – Change the Home Décor inside and out
The Trails of Lily Lake’s Conservation Area have some of the most spectacular Fall colors ever, so easy to view from a DIETRCH HOME 2nd Floor balcony!