HONEY DO LIST FOR FALL CLEANING

HONEY DO FALL CLEANING CHECK LIST!

Print this list out and hand it to your honey! While were getting things clean and cozy, they need to get things safe and maintained!

HONEY DO LIST

This is the list for the husbands to get accomplished this month!

• If you have a pool and haven’t closed it up yet, now is the time!
• Call a heating contractor for an annual furnace checkup and cleaning. If you have a gas or oil fired furnace, have the contractor check carbon monoxide emissions and examine the flue for leaks, which can send carbon monoxide gas into your home. If you have a gas-fired furnace, open the fire door periodically through the heating season when the flames are visible. They should be blue. If the you see yellow at all in the flame call your contractor, as the air/gas mix is incorrect and needs adjusting. Be sure the filters are changed often, depending on use.
• Wood burning Fireplace. Check the flue for obstructions such as leaves or birds nests. On a sunny day, use a mirror or flashlight to look up the chimney through the open damper. If you see blockage, call a chimney sweeper. You should hire a chimney sweep at least once a year to clean soot from the flue and inspect it for cracks. You want to be assured that no flame will find its way to your houses’ framing through a crack. Also be sure that caked soot, which can cause a chimney fire is cleaned.
• If your fireplace has warm air circulators embedded in the firebox walls, vacuum the ducts at the beginning of each heating season. Have any cracks in the firebox and hearth repaired!
• If you have a gas fireplace, be sure to have a carbon monoxide monitor nearby, and check the batteries often.
  Cover the outside air conditioning unit to prevent rusting.

• Weatherproofing. Weatherproof all the doors and windows in the house. Sealing leaks saves dollars! Don’t forget to check for drafts behind electrical outlets and light switches. You can easily seal them with expanding foam, which comes in a spray can.
• Check gutters for blockages. Scrub the gutters and downspout surfaces with a stiff scrub brush and water. Inspect the inside of the gutter for signs of wear. Patch even the smallest pinhole before it grows. After you clean the gutters you can cut the time down next time by installing gutter guards. You can find them at any hardware store.
• Lawn maintenance.
• For the final mowing cut low, and rake up the cuttings. This discourages insects and bacteria that thrive in the tall blades during the winter. If you intend to reseed, do so in the fall, unless you live in the southern states when that should be done in the spring.
• Replace batteries in all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors

And anything else your wife needs done, do so with a smile!