Oct 1st 2019

Fall means vibrant red, orange, and yellow foliage, lots of pumpkins, and the start of the cooler season. It also means winter isn't far away. As the days become shorter and the weather begins to turn chilly, it’s time to start preparing the home for the cold months ahead. A little work now can save a lot of time, energy, and money in the long run. Follow these steps to keep the home clean, warm and cozy for the colder days to come!

Programmable Thermostat is a Good Thing

Let’s start preparing the home for fall by having a programmable thermostat. It’s completely worth the investment especially once the temperature starts dropping. Here’s a quick tip: the heater doesn’t need to be turned on the whole day, turn off heating or set the central thermostat lower while away or asleep, and it could save up to 10-20% on your bill. There are also many smart and programmable thermostats that have mobile apps to automate this adjustment, making them a worthwhile investment when it comes to savings on the heating bill.

Get in The Gutter!

No one loves this job, but it needs to be done annually. Autumn can bring about heavy snow or rain fall and a blocked gutter means there’s nowhere for this water or ice to go, cleaning the gutter makes sure this doesn’t lead to waterlogged structures or the formation of ice damn and permanently damage the home. A few hours of can prevent big problems later on. Walk along gutters near the ground and check the ones on the roof near the downspout. Remove leaf and debris pile-up with the use of a trowel or shovel. Once complete, check that rivets and gutter spikes are secure and replace any structures that seem to be loose.

Curtains During the Day and Night

Once the sun is up, capture as much of the free heat as possible. Even on cold days, the sun is still warm. Open those curtains and let the light shine in during the day, but once the sun goes down keep all that heat from leaving through the windows by closing the drapes. This will prevent some of the warmth in the home from escaping and help keep the home energy efficient as well.

Get the Fireplace and Chimney Cleaned

Before the fireplace needs to be used for winter, make sure it's clean and ready to go. Don’t forget to have the chimney professionally swept if needed. Now is also a good time to stock up on firewood! It’s warm and toasty right by the roaring flames, but for all the warmth and heat that flows up through the fireplace, cold air is being pulled into the house elsewhere (this is due to a physics principle called the stack effect), so be sure to buy and use a glass front for the fireplace, which keeps some of that hot air from escaping up the chimney once the flames have gone out.

Flavors of Fall

When the weather turns cooler, people look towards warmer comfort foods and drinks to make them feel better, cozier, and help keep the warm. Nothing is quite as comforting as being all warm and bundled up inside with a nice cup of hot tea – and butter cookies too!

Made with an authentic Danish Recipe, Danisa Butter Cookies is a delicious treat for tea time in the fall. Danisa Butter Cookies has a nice buttery aroma, golden baked color and taste that melts in the mouth, making it a perfect companion for every moment

Colder weather is on its way, and using these tips above will help to keep the home warm and cozy while saving energy and money. As with most home maintenance tasks, preparing the home for fall is time-consuming but can save the entire household from a lot of headaches in the long run. So, don’t delay it and get ready to enjoy the colder weather!