Winter might still be a little while away, but it always pays to be prepared. Before it gets too cold, it's smart to start thinking about how you can get ready around the house. Some home maintenance just isn't practical to do during the winter, while other tasks will help you to prepare for the colder months. Completing some essential tasks will help you to be more comfortable during winter and prevent you from worrying about some of the things that could potentially go wrong. Here are some of the top tasks that you should tackle at home before winter arrives.

 

Winterize Your AC

 

You won't be using your air conditioning unit during the winter, so it's a good idea to take steps to protect it. You can winterize your unit by insulating the pipes and adding a cover. A cover will help to stop leaves and other debris from corroding your unit, but it's also smart not to cover it completely. If moisture gets trapped, it could cause damage. Once you've protected your air conditioning unit for the winter, you might want to consider a humidifier in your home instead. It can combat the dry air and help your home to retain heat.

 

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Service Your Furnace

 

Your furnace keeps your home warm during the winter, so don't neglect it before it gets cold. Servicing your boiler will ensure it's running efficiently and safely, picking up on any problems and giving you a chance to tune it up. If any issues arise, you might find that you save money by buying your own home furnace parts. However, it can also be safer to have a professional carry out any repairs once you have the parts that you need. When your furnace is operating efficiently, you can keep your home warm and even save on your bills too.

 

Do Some Landscaping

 

After the fall and winter, you can find that the exterior of your home is pretty messy. Although it can be hard to prevent that, you can have a good tidy up of everything before winter hits to put your home in the best condition. You can clear up your yard, taking care of jobs such as trimming back trees and removing any plants that won't survive the winter. As well as landscaping, take care of your home's exterior. You can clear out the gutters and make any repairs, as well as clean a few things, so it looks neat.

 

Carry Out an Inspection

 

A thorough inspection of your home, both indoors and outdoors, will give you time to pick up on anything that might need to be repaired. Outdoors, check the roof and the caulking around your doors and windows. Indoors, test your smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm to ensure they're both working. Ensure the sump pump in the basement is working as it should so that there won't be any flooding over the winter.

 

Don't leave these tasks too late. Get them done before winter arrives so you're ready for the cold.