Home winterizing checklist: 

Ways to stay warm and save energy this winter

 

(BPT) - Fall means colorful leaves, apple cider and cooler temperatures. It also means winter's on its way, so now is the time to winterize your home.

Improve your home's comfort and energy efficiency with a home energy audit. Making energy efficiency upgrades identified in a home energy audit can save 5 to 30 percent on your monthly energy bill, according to Energy.gov.

If you would rather perform your own walk-through, this checklist can help you prepare your home for colder weather:

Exterior home maintenance tips

* Clean those gutters. Remove leaves and debris, then flush your gutters with water. This will help prevent clogged drains and reduce the potential formation of ice dams, which can cause excess water to get backed up and seep back into the house.

* Clean your window and patio door screens and put them into storage.

* Install storm doors. Storm doors help insulate your home against drafts and strong winds.

* Clean the tracks of patio doors and windows. Use a dry paintbrush to loosen dirt and debris and then vacuum to remove.

* Wash windows.

* Touch up exterior paint where needed.

* If you live in a coastal region, hose off exterior windows and doors to remove damaging salt from ocean spray. If you live in a hurricane-prone area, consider installing windows and patio doors with impact-resistant glass, to help provide year-round protection. 
 
Indoor home maintenance tips
* Schedule a furnace check-up by a professional to prepare it for the season. Also check to see if the filter needs changing.

* Add insulation. The amount of money you'll end up saving in heating costs is likely well worth the investment of adding additional insulation to the attic.

* Check with your utility company to see if they offer rebates for energy-efficient home improvements including replacing windows or adding insulation.

* Clean and repair air ducts.

* Wrap pipes. Freezing temperatures can cause pipes to freeze and burst. To help prevent this, insulate pipes with a pre-molded, foam rubber sleeve, available at most local home improvement or hardware stores.

* Reverse fans. Adjust your ceiling fan to rotate clockwise to push rising warm air down.

* Check for leaks and drafts. Stand next to window and door openings to feel if cool air is blowing through. Leaky windows or drafty doors may need to be replaced. If you find a small leak around a window, seal it from the outside with weather-resistant caulk. Also apply weather stripping to exterior doors as needed.

A simple 12-month lawn-care plan for 2013

A simple 12-month lawn-care plan for 2013

(BPT) - You may think having golf-course green grass requires hours of work each day, but if you want the best lawn on the block, it's as easy as coming up with a plan. The secret? When it comes to lawn maintenance, it's never too early to prepare your course of action. Starting now and focusing on specific to-do's each month ensures you'll have grass you can be proud of all year long.

 

Here are 12 simple lawn-care tips you can use throughout the year, from the natural-turf specialists at Grass Seed USA:

January - Generally a month that requires little lawn maintenance, January is a great opportunity to get your lawn mower prepped and ready for spring's punctual arrival. Take some time to get your mower's blades sharpened and oil up the engine; your lawn will reap the benefits of a finely tuned mower when grass cutting season arrives.

February - Now that we're on spring's doorstep, you'll want to get your lawn ready for the end of its winter dormancy. Dethatching your yard is an essential step in preparing your lawn for the new grass that will emerge as the temperatures begin to rise and your lawn sees more sunlight.

March - Raking may seem like an odd task when there are no leaves to clean up, but it can be a beneficial addition to your lawn-care routine. Raking cleans the top layer of your lawn, allowing healthy green grass to make its way to the surface.

April - Have some thin patches or bare spots that emerged over the winter? April's warming temperatures provide a great window of opportunity for reseeding the heavily impacted areas of your lawn, or seeding areas where you'd like to grow new grass.

May - Now that you're likely to be mowing your lawn on a regular basis, change the mowing direction or pattern each time you mow your lawn. Different mowing patterns reduce soil compaction and turf wear from mower wheels.

June - As the temperatures warm and drier conditions emerge, you're likely to be watering your lawn more regularly, and knowing when and how much to water can be a challenge. A simple trick to determine whether your lawn needs watering is to stick a screwdriver into the grass. If it enters the soil easily, your lawn has plenty of water already. If you have trouble getting the screwdriver into the ground, it's time to give the grass a drink.

July - Try to avoid mowing or watering your lawn during peak temperature hours. Performing either of these activities when it's sunny and hot can actually "sunburn" the grass and add additional stress to your lawn. The best time to mow and water your lawn is during the cool of the morning or evening.

August - Summer activities and hot, dry conditions can compact the soil in your yard. August is a great month to aerate your lawn, loosening the soil and creating good conditions for fall maintenance.

September - Autumn is the best time for establishing new growth in your lawn. With temperatures beginning to cool down, seeding new areas and overseeding existing lawn areas will allow grass to germinate and grow strong before the cool winter temperatures set in.

October - Winter is coming, so be sure to mow your lawn one last time before the first freeze. Grass is much more likely to develop mold and other turf diseases if it goes into dormancy at a taller height.

November - As the autumn leaves pile up on your lawn, you can put away the rake and blower. Running your mower over the leaves without the grass catcher grinds that clutter into a fine layer of mulch that will be naturally composted into the soil, providing rich nutrients for your grass.

December - Enjoy the holiday season and let your lawn take a breather. Come spring, you will be the envy of your neighbors as your healthy, well-cared-for lawn gets a jump start on growing season.