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Spring cleaning is something most people do, but probably only a few people understand what it is to winterize your house. When fall arrives you really should inspect your home’s readiness for the upcoming winter. At this time of year, with the foliage dying out, taking stock of the house is easier, so you can tell if any shrubs are hanging onto the house. Clinging vines and roots harm siding and in many cases bricks, so it is good to keep them cleaned off.
If they are no longer needed to do any watering, the hose pipe should all be emptied and rolled up to be set into storage for the winter. The exterior faucets must have the water turned off, and then helped to drain dry. When you are through with your backyard furniture for the year, clean it up then store it in a dry spot. In case you have any trees that are still developing, and especially those that have not endured a winter, shield them by placing mulch around the base of their stems. To accommodate excess rainfall, you should clear away any drainage ditches that you have.
Winter obviously leads one’s thoughts to fireplaces. See your chimney swept in time, before the first cold spell, because that’s generally when everyone wakes up and wants it done. If you are most likely to need firewood, locate a source and create a good stock early. When you find yourself in a rural area, watch out for local residents selling firewood without advertising. Check and ensure that all the smoke alarms are working, irrespective of whether you light fires in winter or not. A lot of people leave Christmas lights up all year, and the cords should be checked for flexibility. And right now is the time for you to get the storm windows installed. Summer dries out weather-stripping, and so check if they need replacing.
The windows are usually hardly ever opened in winter, so it is necessary to check the condition of the filters in the range hood. Do a review of the ground-slope all around the residence, ensuring that it falls away from the walls. Water emptying into the basement and the platform can cause significant problems. The first affect is wet rot, which ultimately leads to dry rot, and this is definitely something to be averted anywhere in your home. Make a point of checking, at regular time periods, that water is not seeping into your home.
It is apparently unavoidable that leaks come, and the most likely places are the roof, the gutter and down-spouts, and the inside plumbing. Make it a priority to get any leaks you see fixed. Cover any external pipes, certainly so if your house is older, and reduce drafts by placing a cover over air-conditioning units. Your carpets and rugs may need to be shampooed to get rid of dust which in winter is readily noticed. You might as well use the time to clean the windows.

