While we may only be in the first few weeks of fall, it won’t be long until cold weather is here to stay for a while. Before the chill of late fall arrives, make sure your home is ready for whatever the season has to bring.

We’ve put together some tips to help you get both the inside and outside of your home ready for brisk weather.

Inside your home

• Have your heating system inspected by a professional. Be sure your furnace, boiler or heat pump is ready for the heating season. A heating professional will be able to inspect, clean and pinpoint any problems with your unit before they potentially result in a breakdown. Oncourse Home Solutions offers affordable heating maintenance plans.
• Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Test the detectors to make sure they are functioning properly and swap out the old batteries with fresh ones, if applicable, for the device(s) you have.
• Be sure your windows and doors aren’t drafty. If there are gaps in your window or door frames, cold air from outside can get into your home and make it feel uncomfortable. Drafts can be taken care of by adding caulk and weatherization materials to the frames.
• Clean your humidifier. Swap out or clean the filter in your humidifier. A humidifier can prevent dry skin, chapped lips, and it may even help to prevent a cold or the flu.
• Have a smart or programmable thermostat installed. A smart thermostat can make your home more efficient by allowing you to lower the temperature when you aren’t home. Reducing the temperature allows your heating system to run less, potentially saving you money on energy bills.
• Make sure your vents aren’t covered. Move furniture and curtains away from your vents. Blocked vents prevent warm air from your heating system from properly circulating through your home.

Outside your home

• Check your trees for loose limbs. Remove the limbs now before a winter storm could cause them to break and fall on your property.
• Inspect your roof. Do a thorough visual inspection to check for any loose or missing shingles. Get these replaced now, before snow piles up on top of your home. If you don’t have shingles securely in place, snow and ice will melt and cause problems for roof panels and the upper floors of your home.
• Be sure siding is solid. Check for holes or cracks that may need to be repaired.
• Clean your gutters. Now is the perfect time to remove leaves and build-up from your gutters. When you have proper drainage on top of your home, it can prevent ice dams from forming.
• Check window and doors for frame gaps. Just as you checked inside of your home for air leaks, you should also make sure there aren’t any gaps in the frames on your home’s exterior.
• Clean your chimney and fireplace. Every time you use the fireplace, soot can build up, which may potentially cause a fire or a build-up of carbon monoxide gas inside your home.
• Drain your garden hose and put it away for the season. You aren’t going to need it during cold weather. If water is left in the hose and water line, it can freeze during the winter and potentially cause problems, such as a broken faucet.
• Close the pool. If you haven’t already done so, it’s time to close your pool until next year. Also, be sure to put away any seasonal furniture – lawn chairs, tables, umbrellas.
• Test your generator. If you have a generator, test it to see if it’s working properly. You may need it this winter if your home loses electricity. Be sure it’s been maintained.
• Winterize your lawn equipment. Drain gasoline from your lawnmower and other machinery. Place these items inside your garage or shed.
• Buy necessary winter items now. Be sure you have a snow shovel, blower, ice melt and other snow and ice removal items ready before you need them.

These tips will help you to get the inside and outside of your home ready for the upcoming late fall and winter months.