NOW THAT THE WEATHER IS STARTING TO CHANGE follow these simple steps to prepare your home for the cold winter months:
1. PREPARE LANDSCAPING: Preparing your front and backyard for the cold temperatures can help prevent winter injury to your plants. Trim trees close to the house and electrical wires, seal driveways and patios, and move sensitive potted plants inside.
2. CHECK FOUNDATION: Check around the entire perimeter of your home looking for any entry points that small animals crawl into. Remember that even the smallest crack, or hole can be used as an entry point for mice.
3. INSPECT GUTTERS: Remove leaves and other debris from your home’s gutters — by hand, by scraper or spatula, and finally by a good hose rinse — so that winter’s rain can drain.
4. DON’T FORGET THE CHIMNEY: To keep out the cold air, fireplace owners should keep their chimney’s damper closed when the fireplace is not in use.
5. CHECK ALARMS: Now is the perfect time to check the operation and batteries of your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms. Make sure that they are all functioning properly.
6. PREPARE YOUR PIPES: Wrap insulating material or blankets around exposed pipes and faucets to prevent pipes from bursting. You can also protect exposed pipes with specialty covers.