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Winter is coming!  No we don't mean a surprise 9th season or The Winds of Winter hitting the bookstore.  Actual, cold, dark, winter.  It's that time of year to prepare your home for the cold if you rent or own so we put together some quick tips for you.

1. Prepare and emergency kit

This may not be obvious, but it is crucial to prepare or refresh your kit.  Think back to the 2018 earthquake, or the fires we had in 2019, or the blackouts in California, or winter storms.  Would you and your family been prepared if you needed to leave your home?  If there was issues with the water?  If there were prolonged blackouts?  We put together a quick list of some things that are a good idea to include:

• Flashlight
• Batteries
• Water
• Candles
• Matches
• Can Opener
• Chargers
• Power Bank
• Evacuation Plan
• Warm Clothing / Blankets

2. Service your heating system

This is a good time to check when the last service was and decide if you should get your heating system looked at.  Also a good idea to check those furnace filters.  As a general rule of thumb it is best if you change out the filters every three to six months, more often if you have pets.

3. Check for air leaks near windows

A cheap and easy way to find leaks is with a candle.  Hold it very steadily in areas prone to air leaks (windows, doors, outlets, recessed lighting, etc).  If the candle's smoke or flame wavers, you likely have a leak. We recommend having a professional come out ant fix your windows, you may find that it is an inexpensive repair that pays for itself in energy savings.  (Always be sure to practice fire safety.)

You can check your walls yourself or call for the inspector to do that. This will be handy for those not understanding why everything is closed, yet the cold air is coming from somewhere. You'll be surprised how tiny can the cracks be, it's just a matter of time for you to notice them, so be attentive and review every room carefully.

4. Reverse your ceiling fans

Could it be that simple?  Yes it can.  Reversing your fans to pull the air upwards, not down, to help with the cold feeling.

5.  Install draft stoppers

Tried, true, and inexpensive.  Not much beats creating a physical barrier at the bottom of doors and windows.  Sometimes low tech is the best tech.

6.  Try a smart thermostat

With a wide range of smart thermostats to choose from there is few reasons not to invest in these gadgets to keep your heating bills low and you home at the optimal temperature.  Cheaper models can run programs to maintain your home at cooler temperatures while you are away or while you are asleep all the way to higher end models which can sense when people are home and learn your routines for you.

7. Check smoke detectors and CO2 alarms

With the holiday's fast approaching and the merriment that ensues it is a good time to make sure that all of your alarms are working before you hang up those lights, bake, or put up those decorations.

8.  Clean your gutters

Once the leaves are off of the trees it is time to clean out those gutters.  You want to maximize your drainage away from the property for the notorious freeze thaw cycles.

9.  Clean your chimney and dryer vents

It's a good idea to have your fireplace cleaned and inspected before building those cozy fires this season.  There are several professionals who will complete this task and make sure your fireplace is safe to use and you don't have build up in your dryer vents.

10.  Unhook your hose from the house

While it sounds simple, this is often overlooked.  When the temperatures freeze even a small amount of water in the hose can turn into a costly frozen hose bib.  We recommend that you completely disconnect your hose from your home.

While this isn't a comprehensive list, we hope that you found it helpful.  Now curl up with a blanket and a cup of coffee and hope for a mild winter.