by Katley Demetria Brown

Created on: September 27, 2010   Last Updated: April 17, 2012

It’s important to plan for cold weather starting in late summer or early fall. That way you will not be rushed, since there is much to be done.

• Heating system and insulation:  Turn on your heating system to make sure it works. Make an appointment to have preventive maintenance done on your furnace so that it will run at maximum efficiency during the cold season.   If repairs are necessary, it’s much easier to get someone to come to your home during when the weather’s still warm.  If you use oil for heating, top off your oil tank. It’s time to put up the storm windows and doors. Check for drafts, and apply weather-stripping around windows and doors. Schedule a chimney cleaning, and stock up on firewood, if you own a fireplace.

• Home: Check the roof for loose shingles. If you need to repair or replace your roof, late summer or fall is a good time to have the work done.  A roof rake is a good investment if you live in a region prone to heavy snow, roofs can collapse under its weight.  Clean out your gutters as well, especially in late autumn, when they tend to get clogged with fallen leaves.  This can cause problems with drainage later on.

Make sure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors have fresh batteries and are in good working order.  When a furnace malfunctions, it produces deadly common monoxide, which can kill you while you sleep. A carbon monoxide detector will make a noise almost loud enough to wake the dead, giving you enough time to get into the fresh air.  House fires are more frequent in the winter, because of the use of space heaters; a working smoke detector is good insurance.  Of course, you should never leave a space heater unattended.

If there’s a frost or freeze advisory, pick the produce from the garden, and move container plants indoors.

• Plumbing:  Remove garden hoses and shut down the water supply to the outside, so that the residual water won’t burst the pipes.  Pipes, especially those under the kitchen sink and in the basement should be insulated, as they are prone to freezing during cold snaps.  Keep a hand held hair dryer around the house, it’s handy to use on frozen pipes that haven’t burst.

• Snow supplies:  Don’t forget to pick up some rock salt for the sidewalk, test the snow blower, and buy show shovels (if you don’t already have one).  If you wait until

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