Preparing Your Home for the Winter Season

As winter approaches, now is the perfect time to take advantage of the mild weather and begin preparing your home for the coming change of season. Although we enjoy mild winters here in the Lowcountry, your home can still benefit from a little winterizing and organizing. If you didn’t complete all the projects on your spring cleaning to-do list, you can also use this time to finish your list of chores. Whether you are a snowbird or a year-round Island dweller, our list of tasks will help get your home ready for entertaining this holiday season.

Outside

Tend to your lawn and garden. Weed and fertilize your lawns and flower beds for the final time this year and plant flower bulbs for beautiful spring flowers. You may even want to add a bird feeder so you can watch feathered friends throughout the winter. Finally, clean outdoor furniture with soap and water to remove pollen and debris.

Clean your home’s gutters. If the gutters overflow after a rain, they either need cleaning, realigning, or replacing. It's also a great time to install protectors that keep debris out of the gutters.

Look for rotted, cracked, or damaged wood around the house. Bugs and mice are looking for a warm place to stay for the winter, and you’d rather it not be your home.

Check your furnace. Make sure it is tuned up for the winter and change the filter.

Clean the fireplace and check the flue. Soot and creosote can be dangerous and can start chimney fires. Regular cleaning it regularly will ensure it is safe and working properly.

Touch up paint on and decks, trim, and railings.

Have an energy audit done. This will tell you where heat is escaping from your home and costing you money. You may need to increase your insulation or change your widows.

Inside

Organize your entryway. Install coat hooks and set out baskets so shoes and coats don’t clutter the space.

Cooler temperatures mean it’s time to retrieve the blankets you have stored in the closet. Add a new throw in a warm color to bring the beauty of the season inside.

Get your home ready for holiday entertaining. Do paint touchups around the house, clean light fixtures and chandeliers, turn your mattresses, and have your comforters cleaned.

Have your carpets cleaned. You probably tracked in sand, grass, and pollen during the summer.

Inspect your washer and dryer. Look for cracks in washing machine hoses and replace them every other year. Check the dryer exhaust tube and vent for debris. These simple tasks can help reduce the risk of fire.

Be safe. Changing the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors is an easy way to save your life.

To read more visit

http://www.journaltimes.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/article_aee54130-9354-11de-aae7-001cc4c03286.html or http://slideshow.ivillage.com/home/10_ways_to_get_your_home_ready_for_fall/, or contact your Kiawah Island Real Estate sales executive for additional tips about winterizing your home.