Autumn is here! At this time of year, there are a few key preparations to make to ensure the safety and comfort of your home. Our team at The Clean Sweep – Walnut Creek Housekeeping put together a Fall Checklist for you:

Prepare your furnace for winter duty
If you didn’t already do it last spring, consider getting your furnace professionally serviced in time for the cold season. At the minimum, though, visually inspect your furnace and replace the furnace filter before turning it on for the first time.

Clean the fireplace and chimney
Clean out the fireplace, inspect the flue, and ensure the doors and shields are sound. Have the chimney professionally swept if needed. Now’s also the time to stock up on firewood!

Keep the warm air inside and the cold air outside
Inspect your windows and doors. Check weatherstripping by opening a door, placing a piece of paper in the entryway and closing the door. The paper should not slide back and forth easily. If it does, the weather stripping isn’t doing its job.

Also, now’s the time to re-caulk around windows and door casings, if needed.

Light the way
Bring as much light into your home as you can for the colder, darker months. To accentuate natural light, clean your windows and blinds, especially in rooms that get a lot of sunlight. Add lighting to darker spaces with new lamps. And consider replacing traditional incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient bulbs.

Create a mudroom
Even if you don’t have a dedicated mudroom in your home, now’s a good time to think about organizing and stocking an entryway that will serve as a “mudroom” area for cold and wet weather. Put down an indoor-outdoor rug to protect the floor. A fun and rewarding weekend project is to build a wooden shoe rack, coat rack or storage bench for your entryway.

Home safety check
Replace the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide monitors. A good way to remember to do this is to always replace the batteries when you change the clock for daylight saving time. Create a family fire escape plan, or review the one you already have. Put together an emergency preparedness kit so that you are ready for winter power outages.

Once you finish with your autumn home checklist, you will be ready to enjoy the season in your warm, comfortable home.

At The Clean Sweep Housekeeping Referral Agency, we specialize in Walnut Creek Housekeeping and maid services in the whole Eastbay area. Contact us today for your free estimate! Call 925-283-2400!

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