Preparing Your St. Louis Home for Fall

Preparing Your Home for Fall

The beginning of fall makes us start to think about the cold weather ahead and preparing your home for the upcoming season.  Deep clean now to take advantage of good weather, and face the coming of winter and the approaching holidays with a clean and comfortable home.

• Focus on public rooms: living room, family room, entryway, guest bath.
• Clean from top to bottom. Vacuum drapes and window treatments. Clean window sills and window wells. Vacuum baseboards and corners.
• Vacuum upholstered furniture, or have professionally cleaned if needed. Move furniture and vacuum beneath and behind it.
• Wash interior windows.
• Turn mattresses front-to-back and end-to-end to equalize wear.
• Launder or clean all bedding: mattress pads, pillows, duvets, blankets, comforters. Tuck the family into a warm and cozy winter bed.
• Schedule professional carpet cleaning early this month! Warm October afternoons speed carpet drying. Carpet cleaning firms get busy by the end of October, so schedule now for best service.
• Prepare the kitchen for holiday cooking. Clean and organized kitchen cabinets, paying particular attention to baking supplies, pans and equipment.
• Clear kitchen counters of all appliances not used within the last week. Clear counters look cleaner–and provide more room for holiday cooking.
• Pull refrigerator away from the wall, and vacuum the condenser coils. For bottom-mounted coils, use a long, narrow brush to clean coils of dust and debris.
• Wash light-diffusing bowls from light fixtures.
• Check and empty the central vacuum’s collection area.
• Clean electronic air cleaner elements monthly for most efficient operation. Wash them in an empty dishwasher (consult manual for specific product recommendations).
• Clean or replace humidifier elements before the heating season begins.
• Inspect washer hoses for bulges, cracks or splits. Replace them every other year.
• Check dryer exhaust tube and vent for built-up lint, debris or birds’ nests! Make sure the exterior vent door closes tightly when not in use.
• Schedule fall furnace inspections now. Don’t wait for the first cold night!
• Buy a winter’s supply of furnace filters. Change filters monthly for maximum energy savings and indoor comfort. When the right filter is on hand, it’s an easy job!
• Drain sediment from hot water heaters.

By preparing now, and getting your home ready for the cold weather ahead, the fall and winter months will be much more pleasurable in your home.