Fall is finally here ...

...and it won’t be long before the first frost. 

If you live in Colorado, you should know that it’s a coin toss on whether the first snow will be a drizzle or a blizzard.

Let’s be smarter this year and get ahead of the coming cold weather and prepare for the inevitable winter that’s just around the corner. A little preventative maintenance now and we can enjoy our winter activities without worry later.

Please, please, clean your gutters.

If you were one of my Home Inspection clients, you’ve already endured my lecture of the importance of clean gutters.  It’s the single most effective way of keeping your home in good shape.  Hire someone to clean them – don't risk injury by taking my advice to clean your gutters! Falling from ladders is more common than you think.

Adding insulation and caulking around windows can make your home more comfortable and cheaper to heat.  Now is a great time to do those tasks while the weather is nice – you won’t want to do it once the cold wind starts to blow.

Instead of raking your leaves, consider buying a “mulching blade” for your lawn mower. You'll be amazed at how one of these can turn a pile of leaves into valuable organic matter for your lawn.

It’s time to clean your chimney if you haven’t had it done in the last three years, . If you enjoy frequent fires in your fireplace, or if you burn pine logs, consider having your chimney cleaned every year.

Order your firewood. If you’re new to the neighborhood, ask neighbors for a good firewood supplier.  Hardwood, such as oak, maple, or elm, are your best choices as long as they are seasoned for at least a year. Speaking of firewood, now is a good time to have the trees trimmed. You can have the trimmings cut and stacked for next year’s firewood – but make sure you let it dry for a year before you burn it.

Remember when you bought your home and your Home Inspector recommended an annual HVAC Maintenance contract?

Now is the time you want to schedule your furnace Clean and tune. 

You don’t want to beg for service if your furnace conks out on a freezing February night. There is no better time than now to start a relationship with a reputable HVAC company. Annual service contracts are worth it.


Once you take care of your home, you can count on your home taking care of you.  This winter, let’s enjoy the wonders that winter brings to us and know that we’re prepared to make the most of the season.

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