With cooler weather quickly approaching, now is a great time to begin preparing your home for Fall. While you might think adding a festive wreath to your front door and lighting some pumpkin candles in your living room is enough to get you in the autumnal mood, there are quite a few things that you can do outdoors to make sure your home is properly prepared for the colder months of the year.
If you’re not quite sure where to start when it comes to fall home maintenance, we’ve highlighted some of the top tips to help prepare your home for fall!
Preparing Your Home for Fall: Protect Outdoor Faucets
There is no question that Canadian winters can get cold, so it’s extremely important to ensure that any outdoor taps, faucets, or in-ground irrigation lines are protected from freezing. Some outdoor taps might require you to close a shut-off valve and turn the faucet on to drain the waterline. In some cases, if you don’t have freeze-proof faucets, you might need to purchase some faucet covers to keep them protected against cold temperatures.
For in-ground irrigation systems, always follow the instructions or procedures provided by the manufacturer to protect them from any winter damage.
Clean Out Gutters
The last thing you want during the colder months is to discover that your gutters are clogged and not draining water properly from your roof. Not only can this cause problems with water getting into your home, but improper gutter drainage can also lead to leaks that could result in ice patches that can become hazardous during the winter months. Now is the perfect time to get up on a ladder and inspect your gutters to ensure that they don’t need to be cleaned or repaired.
Scoop out any leaves or other outdoor debris that might be clogging your downspouts, and watch for any other holes, cracks, or damaged pieces of gutter that might need to be replaced before the cold weather fully sets in.
Test Your Fall & Winter Tools
Another fall preparation task that is often overlooked is testing any tools and equipment that you may use during the colder months. Taking the time to put a fall and winter toolkit together now will help prevent frustrations when it comes to trying to rake leaves with a bent rake or having to find your snow shovel during the first snowfall of the year. Set aside an afternoon to rummage through your garage and storage shed to make sure everything is in order. Some essential items that you should have on hand include a rake, leaf blower, broom, ice scraper, snow shovel, and ice salts.
Taking some time to tackle some yard maintenance is also a great way to prepare your home for fall. Raking fallen leaves will help prevent your lawn from suffocating, and properly winterizing any trees or shrubs will help them better withstand the cold temperatures.
Making time to properly prepare your home for fall will ensure that you not only stay warm and cozy during the colder months but also that you can hit the ground running in the springtime when the snow melts!