October is a good time to get our homes ready for the winter months and, while the weather has already started to get colder, it’s important to do it now before temperatures drop too low. So, what areas of the home should we take care of?

Perhaps one of the most obvious areas to check is the home heating system. A very simple way to check if the system is working correctly is by turning the thermostat up and observing how long it takes for it to respond. If the heat takes a long time to turn on, you may need to get it serviced. For those of you who use oil or propane to heat your home, this is a good time to have the tank filled. This time of year is also a good time to have the chimney and fireplace inspected to make sure there are no blockages, etc. You may also want to change air filters.

Pipes are in danger of freezing and bursting when temperatures get too low, particularly pipes located in unheated areas of a home such as an attic and crawlspaces. Insulate pipes with foam or fiberglass insulation in these parts of the house and maintain a high enough temperature level in the habited areas so that pipes in those unheated spaces do not freeze.

With the fall months comes yard work and one thing on the list of jobs to do is gutter cleaning. If debris is left in guttering when the weather turns icy, it will freeze and become heavy leading to damaged guttering. To prevent cracks developing in the sprinkler system, make sure you drain it of all water and air. Outdoor furniture should be either stored away in a dry place or have protective covering placed on them to make sure they will be in good condition the next time you use them.