Preparing your home for the big chill

With the weather still comfortable and families enjoying the great outdoors in most states, now is the time to prepare your home for the approaching winter.

A little planning and preventative maintenance go a long way towards cleaning and sprucing up your home and garden in readiness for the colder months ahead.

The benefits of forward planning

Regular home maintenance ensures that breakdowns or expensive repairs are not on the agenda — allowing you to coast into a catastrophe-free winter.

In addition, you will save on energy costs and eliminate the need for emergency breakdown fees with a sound winter-preparedness plan in place.

Taking advantage of clement conditions  

We know that soon enough the days will shorten as the night-time temperatures slowly plummet. You should use this trans-seasonal time wisely to fuel the imagination for a cosy-style scene-setting at home.

With the cold conditions fast approaching, if not already upon us, take action to prepare your home and garden for the cooler months to come.

Getting your home ready for the forthcoming season allows you to fully immerse yourself in the interior warmth of winter.

How to ensure your home is ready for cold weather

Here’s a checklist of must-do tasks for you to perform when preparing your house and garden for late autumn and early winter:

Clean and cover your outdoor furniturePlant your bulbs for springtime flowersClean the gutters and install gutter guards to prevent backups when the wet season hitsCleaning on and around your outdoor heating, ventilation and air-conditioning units-obstructions can cause up to a 30 per cent energy increasePrepare your chimney for cosy night-time fires with an annual safety inspection and cleaningStock up on plenty of firewood for heating your home this winterReplace the batteries in your smoke detectors and other detective devicesPrepare your heating systems for the heavy demands of cold weather use with seasonal maintenanceKeep the cold weather at bay by replacing dry or damaged weather stripping on all doors and windowsCheck your home for drafts and potential cold spotsCheck your outside water spigots for leaks and put away all water hosesIf you live in a particularly cold climate, ensure that all exterior-wall water pipes are insulated to prevent freezing and burst pipesCheck all flashlight batteries and stock up on supplies for potential power outages.Prepare your generators and give them a test runEmpty the fuel supplies from lawn-mowing equipment to prepare for minimal or non-usage during the winter monthsCheck and trim your landscaping for dead or damaged tree limbs.

Last, but not least, sit back and admire your handiwork/maintenance efforts, as they will surely stand you in good stead for the chilly months ahead.