15 Things You Should Be Doing To Get Your Home Ready for Fall & Winter
I recently saw a meme that read, "Make sure you wash your Fall clothes. Don't be walking around smelling like basement." After letting out a hearty laugh, I was reminded that there really is a lot of prep that goes into transitioning from Summer to Autumn, and I'm not just talking about your decor.
As a first time homeowner, there's a lot that we have to do now that we didn't necessarily think about as renters... or maybe we should've and we just didn't know. In any case, here we are now. As someone who lives in a 4 season region, the transition from Summer weather to Autumn weather isn't subtle at all, so in addition to unpacking cardigans & shackets, there are a few home improvement tasks we need to tackle to ensure seasonal readiness.
Before sharing this list, I wanna be very clear - we're still learning as we go. As I always say, you don't know what you don't know, so I'm sure as we get more experienced as homeowners, this list may get longer. Who knows? LOL.
After two years & two Autumns at the hygge ranch, we have a literally dozen things we know we need to do that you probably should be doing to as we transition from Summer to Autumn... in addition to serving as pre-Winterizing our home.
Wash Stored Away Seasonal Attire & Textiles
Let's start with the one that kicked off this post - washing your seasonal attire! Aside from not wanting to smell like the basement/attic/garage/container, these items have been sitting enclosed somewhere for anywhere from 6-9 months. This goes for everything from sweaters to blankets to curtains. You want to make sure everything feels (and smalls) fresh for the season, and depending on your storage situation, free from any dust and/or pests.
Deep Clean Rugs & Carpets
In general, we like to deep clean our carpet at least 1-2x a year. This is something we used to do more when we lived in apartments because we had more carpet + they used to get a lot more foot traffic. Now, we have less carpet & it's in areas that don't get a ton of traffic, so once or twice a year is enough. Deep cleaning the carpet comes with a lot of benefits, including eliminating dirt & allergens (my husband suffers from allergies), getting rid of stains & odors, keeping the carpet looking like new till we eventually get rid of it, and in general, making the environment cleaner. after an entire season of going in and out from the backyard, this is the perfect time to do it.
I have been using the same carpet deep cleaner since we lived in NYC - the Bissell ProHeat Essentials - it has been a staple for us when the season changes over.
Purge & Organize Seasonal Storage Spaces (Shed, Garage, Attic, Basement)
As you're pulling items outta storage & putting summer items in, don't forget to tend to the actual storage spaces themselves. Clean everything out to the best of your ability before filling it back up again. Give everything a good cleaning & then reorganize as needed for the season. Every storage is going to look different - shed, garage, attic, basement, underbid storage, closet storage, etc - however, all of these spaces should get a reset in between the season change over to ensure nothing funky arises when you're not looking.
Schedule Pest Control Inspection
I remember learning when we lived in NYC that critters love to come indoors - and in cars - to warm up doing the colder months. If this is the case where you live, this'll be the perfect time to make sure you're prepared. The inverse of that is checking for any critters that may have made their way into the nooks & crannies of your home during the warmer months - spiders, ants, etc - especially in your storage areas that remained untouched since last winter.
Reverse Your Ceiling Fan(s)
Did you know that a ceiling fan's standard rotation (clockwise) blows air down? This is what keeps the air feeling cool during the warmer seasons like Spring & Summer. So when you reverse the direction of the fan to counterclockwise, it draws air up which in turn, circulates warm air... perfect for Autumn & Winter. This isn't something we ever thought about until we installed a ceiling fan in our flex lounge.
Rather than leaving ceiling fans unused - and collecting dust - in the cooler seasons, you can let it work for you to warm your spaces & potentially cut down energy costs in the process
Inspect, Clean, and Weatherstrip Doors & Windows
Something else we never thought about until becoming homeowners? Weatherstripping. It's been found that weatherstripping can also help reduce heating & cooling costs; however, if nothing else, it'll help improve your comfort as the temperature drops. Weatherstripping may or may not always be necessary; nonetheless, it's worth it to inspect all of your exterior doors & windows to prevent drafts and/or loss of air and cleaning them will get rid of any dust & cobweb built up from the previous months.
Inspect & Clean Your Gutters, Fireplace, Chimney, Roof, Water Drainage, and Siding
Depending on where you live & how extreme your weather gets, your gutters, fireplace, chimney, roof, water drainage, and siding aren't Summer priorities. I know that because of the amount of rain we get here in the PNW region, checking our gutters & water drainage is always top of mind for us this time of year, closely followed by our roof & siding to prevent potential leaks and/or rotting. Last year, our vigilance allowed us to catch a small patch of damage to our roof that could've caused more devastating damage to our home.
If your home has a fireplace, annual fireplace & chimney sweeps are necessary to ensure they're clean & safe for the burn season. In our previous apartment, we had a fireplace. While we weren't responsible for the chimney - it was a condo complex - we made sure we were checking the fireplace ourselves before every first burn of the season, checking for cracks, gaps, and/or smoke stains that indicate the need for repair. We're also especially thankful for having a very sturdy glass fireplace screen, containing fireplace mess & reducing our cleanup.
Checking all of these aforementioned areas of the home before the season completely turns will help in guaranteeing your comfort & safety in the coming months.
Check Thermostats, Furnaces, Boilers, and/or HVAC Units
You've likely noticed by now that we're talking a lot about heat. Keeping that in mind, you're going to want to make sure you're checking your thermostats, furnaces, boilers, and/or HVAC units to make sure they're in tip top working condition for the lower temps. Depending on your home's heating and cooling systems, you may have any one of these. I remember when we bought this house, our first winter was no fun, as the original heating system was not very consistent. While some parts of the house would get super hot, others would barely rise about room temperature, no matter how high we raised the temp on the thermostat. We quickly upgraded our home's enter HVAC system to ductless mini splits. In addition to increasing our home's value, it's made our Winters (and Summers) at the hygge ranch a lot more comfortable!
Bonus Heating Tip: refill your propane tanks if applicable.
Replace Filters
Speaking of our mini splits, one of our bi-weekly home maintenance tasks is to clean the filters of our units, and once a year we change them completely. This is to prevent mold and to improve air quality, with the latter being especially important in Autumn. Think about it... in the Autumn and Winter, our windows are closed more, allowing for very little air circulation. This is why we deep clean the carpet. This is why we make sure our textiles are fresh. This is why we clean the fireplace for soot. All of these particles in that air can impact the air quality in your home, and not changing your filters compromises your units ability to operate.
Clean Air Purifiers & Humidifiers
Speaking of air quality, depending on where you live, this is gonna be a good time to get an air purifier and/or humidifier, or to clean your existing ones. We've already talked about the importance of air quality during these seasons, however, it's not limited to allergens & dust particles. When moving to the PNW, we didn't take into account how different the air would be compared to living in NYC. It took us a while to notice how much drier the air was over here, which led to dry skin, unproductive coughs, and nose bleeds. Our air purifiers - one for the bonus bedroom since it doesn't have a mini split & one for the living spaces - stay out year round; and as soon as the temp drops below 68º we get out our humidifiers to balance out our home's humidity levels.
Test Home Safety Devices (Smoke Detectors, Water Censors, and Carbon Monoxide Detectors)
In thinking of additional devices to invest in and/or keep up to date, we can't forget about smoke detectors, water censors, and carbon monoxide detectors to protect against smoke, fires, floods, and carbon monoxide. With our fireplaces burning and heaters running and temperatures dropping, these home safety devices can be your first line defense when it comes to preventable disasters. Water sensors, like the one from Vivint, have the added benefit of built-in temperature monitoring, which is a great preventative feature for areas prone to freezing pipes, all while having it connected to your home security system as well.
Test your devices, replace your batteries, and make sure you place them where they will actually be useful to you.
Drain Hoses & Turn Off Exterior Faucets
Speaking of freezing temps... let's go outside. If you're in a region that is known to reaching freezing temps, the last thing you want is to have your exterior spigots freeze or your hoses burst. This isn't something we've ever had to do because it never gets that cold in our region. Know thine home & don't risk it. If there's any water in the hose or faucet that can freeze and/or burst, this can lead to an annoying & expensive issue to repair.
Prep Your Landscape & Lawn, Including Tree Inspection
While you're outside, don't forget about your landscaping. This may look like treating your lawn for frost, bringing plants that can't survive the temperatures indoors, planting cover crops in your garden, pruning your perennials, and/or cutting down any potentially dangerous tree limbs. Every home routine is going to look different and this is far from an exhaustive list when it comes to what your landscaping may need before we're in full on Fall. I know, for us, as we're continuing to learn more about our specific hardiness zone, we're taking note of what we can grow, what will die, and all the garden to dos for this season.
Prepare Emergency Supplies & Winter Tools
As homeowners, we're constantly being reminded that we need to have a year round emergency plan, so that's definitely a work in progress; however, we're currently prioritizing this season because the colder temps can eventually give way to strong winds, heavy rains, and freezing snow. This, can in turn, translate to power outages, weather warnings, and the incessant need to shovel.
Did you know it's the 100th anniversary of Fire Prevention Week™ this year? During Fire Prevention Week™ we're reminded of the importance of vigilant fire safety procedures, which is extremely apropos during a season of burning fireplaces and lighting Christmas trees. Whether it's for fire prevention or simply ensuring your comfort & safety, here's a quick recap of the 15 things you should be doing to get your home ready for Fall & Winter:
Wash Stored Away Seasonal Attire & Textiles
Deep Clean Your Rugs & Carpet
Purge & Organize Seasonal Storage Spaces (Shed, Garage, Attic, Basement)
Schedule Pest Control Inspection
Reverse Your Ceiling Fan(s)
Inspect & Weather Strip Doors & Windows
Inspect & Clean Your Gutters, Fireplace, Chimney, Roof, Water Drainage, and Siding
Check Thermostats, Furnaces, Boilers, and/or HVAC Units
Replace Filters
Clean Air Purifiers & Humidifiers
Test Home Safety Devices (Smoke Detectors, Water Break Censors, and Carbon Monoxide Detectors)
Drain Hoses & Turn Off Exterior Faucets
Prep Your Landscape & Lawn, Including Tree Inspection
Prepare Emergency Supplies & Winter Tools
It's okay if you're not able to check off every single thing on this list - you know your home far better than I do! - so long as you make the appropriate preparations for the changing seasons.
