Get Your Fall Cleaning Checklist

With fall on our doorstep and winter on the horizon, now it’s more important than ever to begin preparation for the cold winter months.  Sure, it’s fun to get out and buy the latest Arc’teryx and Colombia gear for your contributions to this year’s winter style, but what about your home?  If we spend so much time getting our personal lives, vehicles, and clothes ready for the winter then why not our homes?  In this article we’ve laid out 10 important steps to best get your home ready for this next winter.

[ Remember, the best time to prepare and treat your home for the winter is before the winter has arrived.  Central Oregon’s Cold weather and wet environments can be hazardous.  It’s important to practice safety when performing all these tasks yourself.  If any of these tips are outside of your scope of expertise, we highly suggest hiring a professional.]

Clean and store outdoor furniture and deck items

 

The Pacific Northwest is known for both spurts of rain and snow in the winter months.  Decluttering your deck is very important not only to protect those beloved outdoor dining items, but also to protect the integrity of your deck.  Snow fall tends to add a large amount of weight to your deck.  Can you imagine how much more weight can be added to your deck if you already have heavy chairs, carpets, tables, terracotta pots, etc. spread across the space?  A solid deck will be rated for 50 pounds per square foot. ( Source Material )  An overloaded deck, heavy precipitation, and massive winter winds can be downright dangerous– let alone an expensive repair in Oregon!

Cover, remove, and/or insulate water spigots/features

Traditionally, winter in the PNW can get cold… Like, below freezing cold.  These cold temperatures can cause havoc on the water-based infrastructure in and around homes that are not property insulated.  While most new homes today in colder regions have required insulation codes when they’re constructed, most resale homes did not require intensive level of insulation during their construction years ago.  Reviewing your Central Orergon home for uninsulated water pipes is an important step to ensure your home will stay leak free.  Outdoor water spigots should be property covered and insulated. Furthermore, unheated water features should be drained and/or treated for the freezing temperatures accordingly.

Address windows

 

Have your windows been updated?  Are you sometimes feeling a draft by a closed window on a cold weather day?  Poorly maintained windows can be a major contributor to heat loss and higher electricity bills throughout the winter. Wouldn’t those wasted dollars be better spent on those awesome snow boots you’ve been wanting? 

One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to update your windows in Central Oregon is to add some extra caulking over creases in your framing that might need it.  Be sure to cover those areas that have cracked or flaking caulk exposed. Also, if you have the additional funds, investing in storm windows is a great way to add some extra insulation while protecting your windows from some of that stormy weather.  The best storm windows can be easily removed in the sunny seasons, as needed.

Add Thick curtains

Thick blackout curtains are another wonderful way to insulate the home during the Central Oregon fall and winter months, while adding some cozy vibes.  There are literally thousands of styles, textures, and lengths to choose from. Adding heavy curtains can add an extra layer of temperature control, as well as allowing you to begin your winter holiday home design.

Clean gutters and/or downspouts

 

It’s no surprise that fall is notorious for falling leaves and other tree debris.  If you have pine, aspen, or any other trees surrounding your home, it’s very important to have your gutters and downspouts cleared out before the rain and snow start to kick into high gear. Pine needles in Central Oregon are common and clogged gutters can wreak havoc on a homes roofing materials and foundation.  Gutters and downspouts are specifically designed to pull water away from the home.  When you have pools of water along the edges of a home, the invites water to be wicked up into the roof, down the siding, and potentially along the ground edge of the home.  It’s no surprise that this can create extreme issues, long term, if these clogs are ignored. Don’t get me started on ice dams! – If that water freezes it can literally tear apart the wood and it shrinks and expands — No Bueno! Clean out your gutters and downspouts regularly.

Clean off lawns

One of the most prized locations for many of our homes is our lawns and outdoor spaces.  With fall blowing into our horizon, and many of us hiding from the cold in our warm cozy homes, it’s no surprise that our yards, lawns, and landscaping begin to take a beating.  With what’s collecting on our roofs, filling our gutters and downspouts, most homeowners most certainly have the same debris covering their yards.  Now is a great time to break out the rake — Or leaf blower if you fancy some stronger power tools.  It’s important to remove as much unwanted debris from your landscaping as possible, as debris left out can create some unwanted consequences.  Patchy spots in laws, slippery areas on cement walkways, and tips hazards are just a few reasons to make time for this project.  Throw an extra foot of snow over all the debris, and you may have an active hazard zone just waiting to catch you off guard. 

Have home treated for pests.

The cold weather doesn’t only bother us humans as we round into late fall – we also start to see an uptick of wildlife making their way indoors to begin hibernation for the winter – And Central Oregon has a lot of them!   Can you blame them?  Our homes, attics, and crawlspaces are perfect areas for creepy crawlies, small game, and birds to nestle up in.  Because these pests are generally unwelcoming in our homes, we suggest that you take this season to have your home treated by a pest mitigation company. Most companies will treat for spiders, ants, silverfish, beadles, or other small insects that make their way indoors, in one visit.  Look up your local pest/extermination company to find the best deals near you.

Close off crawlspace soffits

Most homes in the Pacific Northwest ( Central Oregon) are built with a crawlspace. Crawlspaces are the locations between the foundation and the floor of a home.  They are usually bare areas of dirt, covered with a thick layer of plastic, that can be accessed though a hatch located on the interior of the home.  While a crawl space isn’t usually paid much attention, these areas are certainly important in the long-term health of your home. 

The exterior of your home usually has what’s called crawlspace vents.  These vents run along the foot of the home and are spaced out evenly across the perimeter of the home.  They allow for air circulation under the home throughout the year.  Because Crawlspaces are so closed off, they can develop moisture, microbial growth, and unregulated temperatures that could degrade the foundation and framing of your home.  The crawlspace vents allow the home to “breath”, which helps alleviate these potential problems long term.

While we usually want those vents open in the summers, the winter/fall is a great time to have those vents temporarily closed off—as to protect the space from access cold spells, moisture penetration, and unwanted pest attempting to escape from the outdoors during winter.  Closing off these vents is a great way to protect your power bill and health this winter.

Stock up on rock salt or coil warmers

 

Do you live in areas where temperatures dip below freezing?  Well, if you’re in Central Oregon then you likely do! Now is a great time to stock up on rock salts, coil roof warmers, or any other anti-freezing material of your choice.  Beginning the process of collecting these items now is perfered becuase it’s safer to travel and these items tend to be a little more affordable in the warmer months.  Make sure to do some research on what chemical compound to use on your particular property, as some of them can be harsh on surfaces or your little pet’s paws. 

Prepare for the worst

The winter months are notorious for heavy storms, unexpected flooding, landslides, tornadoes, and blizzards.  Are you prepared for the worst-case scenario?  While we don’t want to worry you with the worst-case scenario discussion, it is wise to plan in case you do experience the unexpected. Stocking up on goods that you can use in a pinch is a great idea during the warmer months.  Remember, when catastrophes happen, the last thing you want to do is compete with the rest of the community at your local grocery store or home improvement shop for supplies.  I’m sure you can recall the great toilet paper shortage of 2020! 

Here is a list of items to think about when stocking up for the “worst case winter scenario”:

• De-icer
• Water
• Batteries/candles
• Nonperishable food
• Pet foods
• Flashlights
• Generators
• Extra gas
• Snow shovels
• .Emergency communication devices
• Car chains
• Etc….

The transition into the colder months should be a merry time and spending a small amount of time on these projects though-out the year is a great way to ensure that your safe, happy, and healthy in your home for many years to come. We hope that this list gives you the confidence and knowledge to help you tackle your home preparation this fall.  Now, time to grab a warm beverage and get to work. Good luck, have fun, and be safe!