Fall is one of the best times of year to live in West Virginia. From the crisp air to the abundance of mountain festivals, it's a great time to enjoy family, friends, and good food. It's time to prepare your home for fall's arrival. Here are a few things you can do.
#1 Pull out your autumn decorations
With the cooler winds of autumn just around the corner, you need to haul out the autumn decorations. Get an orange leaf wreath on the front door. Replace the welcome sign with one that has a fall theme. If you don't have everything you need, it's a perfect excuse for a bit of shopping.
#2 Dust off your fall recipe collection
So many good foods abound during the fall. Things like apples, pumpkins, carrots, and sweet potatoes are always perfect on a fall menu. It's also a time to bring out the comfort food recipes, for stew, dumplings, hearty soups, and casseroles. If you don't have a great fall recipe collection, start one today.
#3 Stock up your pantry
While you are collecting recipes, make sure you stock your pantry up with cool-weather staples. Fall is a great time to get back into baking and cooking. Get cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and vanilla. Oatmeal, cornmeal, flour, sugar, and honey are just a few essentials. Nuts, chocolate, evaporated milk, and baking powder are perfect for baked goods.
#4 Bring out the cool weather gear
You need to start ditching the summer wear and bring out the cool weather wardrobe. Switch out boots for sandals and hoodies for swimsuits. Fall sports gear shouldn't be forgotten. Football and hockey sticks need a place of prominence.
#5 Have your heating system serviced
Okay. Let's get practical. As the cooler weather arrives, you will want to turn on the heat. Before the first cool evening arrives, call an HVAC company to get your heating system serviced. An annual tune-up helps keep repairs to a minimum, lowers energy costs, and prolongs the system's lifespan.
#6 Get your chimney inspected and cleaned
If you have a fireplace, you need to get the chimney inspected and cleaned at least once a year. Creosote build-up is a major cause of chimney fires. You also need the chimney liner inspected to make sure it's solid and ready for your first fire of the season.
#7 Check for air leaks
Cold air will get in through the smallest crack, making your heating system work harder. Check for air leaks around windows, doors, and plumbing pipes. Cracks along a seam can be filled with caulk. Larger cracks can be filled with spray foam insulation. Air leaks around moving parts of doors and windows can be blocked with weatherstripping.
Taking some time to prepare your home for fall will make the season more enjoyable. If you need any help with your HVAC systems, call Dodrill Comfort & Energy Solutions right away. We bring decades of experience to every job we handle for our neighbors in Charleston and surrounding areas.