Our neighbors to the north might scoff at the thought of us preparing our homes for the cooler season, but we Californians know it is a road we must travel as well! We may not have to make sure the snow blower is working, but we do have a few items to cross off our to-do list to prepare for fall and winter.
- Clean out gutters and downspouts to ensure the rain, when it comes, has a nice clear path to the ground that isn’t clogged up with leaves, twigs and other debris.
- Once these are cleared, ensure when the water reaches the ground it is not being splashed back toward the house and fences to avoid water damage in these areas.
- Take a look at your windows and screens to make sure there are no holes or areas of potential leakage. Make sure seals are secure, so when you do put the heat on, it stays in the house where it belongs!
- Schedule a HVAC tune up, so you know your furnace will turn on when you need it. Also make sure your fireplace, whether gas or wood burning, is in good working order. Change your furnace filter too.
- Weed your summer garden, dead head flowers, cut back the appropriate blooms, trim plants and rake up leaves and debris from the yard. If you have trees that lose their leaves, be sure to remove the leaves off the grass, so they don’t suffocate your lawn or block the sun leaving brown spots. Another alternative is to mulch the leaves by going over them with a lawnmower to add organic matter to your soil.
Along with packing away our flip flops (well, not actually) and pulling out the Ugg boots, this list really will help you prepare for the chillier, wetter and windier days ahead. If you’re thinking of buying a new cozy home for the winter, you can start looking now! Cornerstone Communities has homes ready to move in throughout the San Diego and Temecula regions.