California Sunshine
11-15-2004, 11:10 PM
Change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. They're lifesavers; treat them that way.
Arrange to have the chimney or flu cleaned. Blocked residue or birds' nests can disrupt ventilation and endanger your health.
Following a visual inspection of the house exterior (see 30 minutes or under), make arrangements with roofers, masons, painters or other professionals to handle repairs you won't be doing yourself. Don't delay -- putting off small problems now can lead to serious structural damage later.
Close the attic louvers. Leaving them open will let warm air out, let cold air in and drive up your electric bill.
Vacuum refrigerator coils. Otherwise, your refrigerator will drive up your energy bill as it works overtime to cool food.
Rotate and flip the mattress. Why? To avoid those awful sags and extend the life of your mattress.
Call the power company to trim any dead branches along power lines in your area (they'll do it for free). Dangling branches can create emergencies if they fall onto lines.
Drain outdoor faucets and cut off water. You don't want pipes to freeze, or worse yet, burst.
Check the expiration date of your fire extinguisher and verify that the gauge is within proper operating range. Replace it if it's past its prime.
Assess your snow removal equipment. Is it in working condition? Do you need to replace a shovel, buy a pick or invest in a new bag of salt? Stock up now and breathe easy when storm season hits.
Clean your china, crystal and silver. I suggest you clean in batches to make the job more manageable. For example, wash the good dinner plates with the usual dishwasher load one night, wash the good salad plates another night and so on. (Handle items that must be hand washed, or silver that must be polished, in the same way: a small batch at a time.)
Dust the ceiling fan blades. A ceiling fan brush makes this job a breeze.
Inspect the exterior of your home. Does the roof need to be reshingled? Are the TV antenna mountings and fittings secure? Are the gutters clean and reinforced? Do you see any loose or decaying boards, loose bricks or hairline cracks that need to be patched? Make a list and tackle repairs before winter sets in.
Weather-strip any doors or windows. A tight seal means low energy bills.
Winterize your power equipment. Oil power tools, drain gas from the lawn mower and deal with any other maintenance the mowing equipment requires.
Clean the humidifier filter and reservoir. Doing so ensures efficiency.
Vacuum and clean space heaters. This will avoid lint and dust buildup, increase efficiency and decrease the risk of fire or explosion.
Clean out the medicine cabinet. Toss knickknacks, clutter and expired medicine, toiletries and cosmetics.
Clean outside gutters and downspouts and clear roof of debris. A clean roof is less likely to suffer damage during the harsh months of winter.
Fresh is best! Prepare your bedroom for cold weather with freshly laundered winter linens and blankets and a clean mattress pad. Save yourself a step next spring and wash summer linens before you store them away.
Store or cover and seal window air-conditioners and cover central air-conditioning units. Doing so protects against condensation buildup and environmental damage.
Defrost the extra freezer chest in the basement or garage. This task takes some time, but helps your freezer run more efficiently.
Clean out the refrigerator and/or freezer. Don't be surprised to find a science project or two growing in your vegetable bin!
Arrange to have the chimney or flu cleaned. Blocked residue or birds' nests can disrupt ventilation and endanger your health.
Following a visual inspection of the house exterior (see 30 minutes or under), make arrangements with roofers, masons, painters or other professionals to handle repairs you won't be doing yourself. Don't delay -- putting off small problems now can lead to serious structural damage later.
Close the attic louvers. Leaving them open will let warm air out, let cold air in and drive up your electric bill.
Vacuum refrigerator coils. Otherwise, your refrigerator will drive up your energy bill as it works overtime to cool food.
Rotate and flip the mattress. Why? To avoid those awful sags and extend the life of your mattress.
Call the power company to trim any dead branches along power lines in your area (they'll do it for free). Dangling branches can create emergencies if they fall onto lines.
Drain outdoor faucets and cut off water. You don't want pipes to freeze, or worse yet, burst.
Check the expiration date of your fire extinguisher and verify that the gauge is within proper operating range. Replace it if it's past its prime.
Assess your snow removal equipment. Is it in working condition? Do you need to replace a shovel, buy a pick or invest in a new bag of salt? Stock up now and breathe easy when storm season hits.
Clean your china, crystal and silver. I suggest you clean in batches to make the job more manageable. For example, wash the good dinner plates with the usual dishwasher load one night, wash the good salad plates another night and so on. (Handle items that must be hand washed, or silver that must be polished, in the same way: a small batch at a time.)
Dust the ceiling fan blades. A ceiling fan brush makes this job a breeze.
Inspect the exterior of your home. Does the roof need to be reshingled? Are the TV antenna mountings and fittings secure? Are the gutters clean and reinforced? Do you see any loose or decaying boards, loose bricks or hairline cracks that need to be patched? Make a list and tackle repairs before winter sets in.
Weather-strip any doors or windows. A tight seal means low energy bills.
Winterize your power equipment. Oil power tools, drain gas from the lawn mower and deal with any other maintenance the mowing equipment requires.
Clean the humidifier filter and reservoir. Doing so ensures efficiency.
Vacuum and clean space heaters. This will avoid lint and dust buildup, increase efficiency and decrease the risk of fire or explosion.
Clean out the medicine cabinet. Toss knickknacks, clutter and expired medicine, toiletries and cosmetics.
Clean outside gutters and downspouts and clear roof of debris. A clean roof is less likely to suffer damage during the harsh months of winter.
Fresh is best! Prepare your bedroom for cold weather with freshly laundered winter linens and blankets and a clean mattress pad. Save yourself a step next spring and wash summer linens before you store them away.
Store or cover and seal window air-conditioners and cover central air-conditioning units. Doing so protects against condensation buildup and environmental damage.
Defrost the extra freezer chest in the basement or garage. This task takes some time, but helps your freezer run more efficiently.
Clean out the refrigerator and/or freezer. Don't be surprised to find a science project or two growing in your vegetable bin!