Autumn is perfect time to prep home for winter weather

Autumn’s arrival and cooler temperatures mean sweater weather, pumpkin-flavored everything and getting the house ready for winter. Smart homeowners know the perfect time to start preparing for cold weather is before it arrives.

Come October, homeowners should be switching the direction of their ceiling fans; a fan spinning clockwise will help suck up warm air and distribute heat.

No one wants to be outside once the temperature drops significantly in winter, so autumn is the perfect time to deepclean windows. It will be worth it when the sun shines in on even the darkest days of winter.

Homeowners should also schedule a checkup for their heating unit and hire a chimney sweep to do a fireplace inspection.

Cleaning or repairing gutters, taking care of leaks, upgrading insulation and checking all drafty areas before the cool air hits are also important and save time and money. Maintenance technicians get busy come winter, so it is important to make an appointment early.

Check out HouseLogic’s “More Safe, Less Sorry” spotlight (www.houselogic. com/spotlight/winter-coming-keepoutside) for more information on preparing a home for winter.

Consult with repair experts in your area about the most common — and avoidable — home problems they see during the winter. Also ask Realtors in your community what advice they give to new homeowners about dealing with temperature changes.

If you are interested in selling or buying a home this winter, visit www.realtor.com to find a Realtor near you.

House to House is distributed by the Arkansas Realtors Association. For more information about homeownership in Arkansas, visit www.ArkansasRealtors.com.