Winter is on its way! Prepare for winter now and enjoy those long winter’s naps in comfort.

Summer’s come and almost gone. Fall has arrived, although not officially. That will happen September 22, 2016. The days are getting shorter and the mornings are turning crisp. Winter is on its way! Prepare for winter now and enjoy those long winter’s naps in comfort.

Prepare for winter outside your Brooklyn home

It’s time to wrap up summer’s outdoor lifestyle and prepare hearth and home for the beginning of the long cold spell.

• Clean, cover and store patio furniture, umbrellas, decorations and toys.
• Paint the trim, railings and decks or touch them up if that’s all they need. Remove flaking paint with a wire brush and prime bare wood before you paint.
• Check around windows and doors. Re-caulk if needed.
• Install weather-stripping and thresholds if external doors and garage doors need it in order to close tightly.
• Wash windows, inside and out.
• Drain and store garden hoses. Frost-proof spigots with a faucet insulator and blow the sprinkler system lines free of water.
• Power wash gutters and downspouts. Consider installing heating cable to prevent ice dams.
• Inspect and clean chimneys and flues.
• Repair your roof. Check your roof for curling, loose or missing shingles.
• Prepare your deck for winter. Sand splinters, repair damaged boards and reseal to protect it from rain and/or snowfall.
• Switch out your screen doors for a storm door. Clean and repair screens prior to storing.

Prepare for winter inside your Brooklyn home

Fall means it is time for the “second spring cleaning.” It makes good sense to clean and store all things summer before you retreat to the warmth inside your Brooklyn home. Besides, the holidays are coming (and you may decide it’s time to sell after the winter thaw).

• Start with the rooms where most of the household activity happens. Focus on one room and clean it from top to bottom. Vacuum or wash curtains and window treatments. Clean window sills and window wells. Vacuum and wipe down baseboards and corners.
• Vacuum upholstered furniture, or clean it professionally. Move each piece of furniture and vacuum underneath and behind each piece. Don’t forget to vacuum underneath the couch and chair cushions!
• If you haven’t already washed the windows inside and out as mentioned above, now’s the time for that chore.
• Turn mattresses front-to-back and end-to-end to even out their wear and tear.
• Wash or clean all bedding: mattress pads, pillows, duvets, blankets, comforters.
• Make an appointment to have your carpets cleaned professionally. Do this early in September so that the remaining warm afternoons can help the carpet dry speedily. Carpet cleaners tend to get busy by the end of October.
• Clean and organize kitchen cabinets.
• Clear kitchen counters of all appliances. Store heavy appliances down low.
• Vacuum refrigerator condenser coils of dust and debris. While the refrigerator is pulled out from the wall, clean the sides of the refrigerator, the sides of the cupboards on each side of it, the wall behind it and of course, the floor and baseboards.
• Wash light fixture bowls from light fixtures and fans. Clean ceiling fans. Change the direction of your ceiling fans. In the spring and summer, your blades work best turning counter-clockwise. In the fall and winter, the blades work best turning clockwise.
• Clean and store floor fans and box fans.
• Stock up on water softener salt.
• Do you have a central vacuum? Empty the collection area.
• Clean electronic air cleaner elements. This should be done monthly for cost-effective efficiency.
• Inspect your humidifier. Clean or replace elements before it is needed.
• Inspect washer hoses for bulges, cracks, splits and a collection of “crud.” They should be replaced every other year.
• Check dryer exhaust tube and vent for lint build-up and debris to eliminate a fire hazard in your home. Does the exterior vent door close tightly when the dryer isn’t being used?
• Schedule furnace inspections now. Schedule an annual checkup for your furnace in the fall, September 22 – December 21. Don’t wait for frigid temperatures to arrive!
• Buy six furnace filters and change them monthly for maximum efficiency, savings and comfort.
• Drain the sediment from your hot water heater.

Prepare for winter or the sale of your Brooklyn home now. Contact Charles D’Alessandro, your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate at (718) 253-9700 ext. 206 or email [email protected] for a FREE consultation on how to get your home ready for what’s coming.