As we head into Fall, it's time to prepare your home for cold weather. In its Fall Home Maintenance To-Do List, Kiplinger.com names nine things—at least some of which most homeowners can do themselves—to lower your utility bills and protect your investment. Check out some of the easiest, most effective ways to get your home in cold weather fighting shape.
If you plan on hosting any dinner parties or holiday gatherings, the last thing you need is a guest with a head injury. Unfortunately, slippery, icy walkways and steps are often the culprit in Winter accidents. Stop slips before they start by making sure to keep your steps free of ice and snow. First step: Always shovel any ice and snow away as soon as it lands on your steps and walkways. Then, if there's still a problem, use sand or kitty litter to provide traction. Using rock salt is also an option, though if the temperatures get below 25 degrees, it won't work. Do you use these methods, or do you have another way to keep your steps slip-free?
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As most of you probably know, California has been ravaged by fires this Summer. As I write this, one of my friends awaits evacuation notice at her Southern California home, and several others are keeping a close watch on fire patterns in their area. Fire scares me — it is erratic and unpredictable and frighteningly fast. And while I can understand why some homeowners are reluctant to leave their homes, in the end, your home is just a house. It's the nonmaterial things you fill it with — namely your family, pets, and memories — that make it truly a home. This is why I urge readers to listen to firefighters' warnings, and to leave their homes if a mandatory evacuation is issued. Your life is much more important than any piece of property, no matter how much you love it.
Here are some smart pointers from the City of Napa, California's fire safety page:
To see the rest of the tips, read more
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air is two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. Gross, huh? The good news is that there are some simple—but often overlooked—aspects of home maintenance that can really make a difference in your home's air quality. And since it's fall, we wanted to remind you that this is the ideal time to implement one of those home maintenance routines, by changing your furnace filter. (User fragiletearz even had "change filter" as one of the monthly tasks on her savvy housecleaning schedule, though she may have been referring to an air conditioning filter instead of a furnace filter!)
To find out how to change your furnace filter, just read more
