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Nine ways to get ready for winter

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Nine ways to get ready for winter

By MGE

Here’s a checklist of things to do to get your home ready for the change of season.

Inside:

  1. Check the batteries in your programmable thermostat. Don’t come home to a cold house.
  2. Check smoke detectors to make sure they are working and change the battery if needed.
  3. Install a carbon monoxide (CO) detector. CO is a silent killer. If you have a furnace, fireplace, water heater or other appliance that is fueled by fossil fuel, the chances of CO poisoning from malfunctioning appliances increases substantially when houses are closed up for the winter. Exhaust fumes from an attached garage can also leak into living areas. CO detectors are inexpensive, easy to install — just plug in — and could save your life.
  4. Change your furnace filter. If you haven’t had your furnace serviced for more than two years, now’s a good time to do that also.
  5. Clean and inspect the fireplace. Wood-burning fireplaces can get a buildup of creosote in the chimney. Have the chimney checked and cleaned, if necessary. Close the damper when not in use.

Outside:

  1. Check the weatherstripping around doors and windows and replace as needed. Leaks around windows and doors create drafts and waste heat.
  2. Check gutters and connections. Clean gutters of leaves and other tree debris. Blocked gutters and downspouts can cause water backup.
  3. Check and clean the dryer venting system. Replace white plastic vent hose with metallic vent pipe.
  4. Turn off outdoor faucets. Disconnect and drain hoses. Install freeze-proof faucet covers as needed.