Long before the snow begins to fall, you need to winterize your home in anticipation of the upcoming season of cold weather.
Many home fall maintenance checklists tend to focus on all the exterior tasks that you should complete like cleaning out your gutters (and we'll get there!), but in addition to a good home cleaning, it's just as important to perform some maintenance tasks inside your home, too.
Here's our complete interior home maintenance checklist to tackle this autumn.
Definitely have your heating system and equipment inspected and serviced by a professional. They'll check for leaks, filters that need replacing, inspect fan belts, replace or repair broken parts, and make sure that everything is ready to go. If your home uses a central air system, make sure the drain pan underneath the cooling coil is properly working.
Once your heating system has been inspected and serviced, do a dry run. Turn up your thermostat and make sure your heating system is working properly.
If you use electric heaters, make sure they're vacuumed and cleaned to remove dust, dirt, and spider webs. For home owners with a hot water heater, this is a good time to flush it to remove any built-up sediment.
Now is also the time to clean and inspect your chimney, if you have one. Make sure the flue is unobstructed and drawing air properly. For homes with gas fireplaces, vacuum them out and use cleaning products specifically made for fireplace glass.
If your home uses a central heating system, it's a really good idea to remove the grates - clean and vacuum them. Take a moment to look inside the ducts to ensure there are no holes, damage, or tears. Examine the seals to make sure they're in good order.
For homeowners with central air, it's time to cover it for the winter. Be sure to remove any debris sitting on top of the coils. If you're using window air conditioners, remove and store the unit.
Inspect the seals on all windows to make sure they're in good shape. Caulk any gaps or apply weather stripping. Don't forget to do the same for basement windows.
Doors leading to the exterior also need a quick inspection. Replace any missing or damaged weather stripping as necessary.
Autumn is the perfect time to shampoo and clean your carpets. Since it's not too cold outside yet, you can open windows and air out your home one final time before winter arrives.
Reverse the direction of your ceiling fans so that air is pulled upwards, helping to redistribute warm air that collects near the ceiling.
Inspect your smoke and/or carbon monoxide detectors, replacing old batteries with fresh ones, if necessary. This is very important for complete home safety.
A lot of Alberta residents rely on humidifiers during the winter to improve their personal comfort as well as protect wooden floors and furniture from cracking and warping. Make sure yours is in good working order, free from mould, and ready to use.
Make sure that your attic isn't experiencing any problems. Look for evidence of leaks, mold damage, or other problems that need repairing. The last thing any home owner wants to deal with is a leaky roof during the winter.
If you want to (re)paint interior spaces in your home, fall is a great time to do it. Just make sure that the weather outside is warm enough that you can leave windows open to provide enough ventilation.
Remove lint from both inside and behind your clothes dryer. Winter is a time of dry air in Alberta, so you don't want any potentially flammable lint build-up in and around your dryer, including its exhaust duct.
There are a lot of items on this checklist, but it shouldn't take you more than a few hours to get them all done. Being prepared is the first step to ensuring that your home will be warm, dry, and comfortable when snow beings to fall. It's also important to maintain your home in order to maintain its value. Stay proactive and both your home and family will thank you.