| Issue #37, December 8, 2006 |
Home Safe Home
The colder temperatures of autumn neither freeze nor slow time during these months of the year. Much like the summer season, fall has the tendency to pass by quite quickly. Before you realize it, those orange, yellow, brown and red leaves swirling by your nose will be replaced by fluffy white flakes. But before dreams of a winter wonderland become a reality, take a few moments around the house to ensure that you will have a cozy, secure environment that greet you upon your many returns home. After all, along with those heavenly days of friendly snowflakes that come frequent, and certainly unfriendly, nightmares of falling shards of ice upon frozen roadways.
The warmest and safest home is the driest one. No matter how certain you may be that your home is free of any gaps and insecure creases, look again. The torrential downpours and flooding over the past few weeks may have made just enough of a difference in such a seemingly short time. Any standing water can cause your home’s foundation to fail under the new pressure. The cold moisture that winter brings can also seep through the tiniest of cracks and potentially damage your home’s structural health. Think of your own health as well, considering the fact that moisture can permeate walls, creating nasty rot and mold that brings mugginess to your environment.
Hence, you do not merely want to keep the water out, you want to keep it as far away as possible. On a sunny day, take a safe trip to the roof to inspect for any loose, missing or damaged shingles or any other roofing materials that might be amiss. Check the attic as well for any discoloration on the walls or cracks in the ceilings. Extra moisture-security tasks include fitting your downspouts with extensions and directing all of the splash pads beneath them in the right directions. Avoid any ice build-up within the gutters by giving them a good cleaning and adding screens to keep out debris. Make sure all of the joints of the downspouts are properly sealed and take an extra close look at any rusty areas for holes. If you want to avoid that frustrating sound of water dripping and banging inside of any downspout elbow, placing a tiny piece of outdoor carpeting just inside the bottom of the elbow should do the trick.
Once the cold air is officially kept outside, it is time to consider the warm air you now have trapped. The availability of sunlight is decreasing, so take advantage of it at all possible times. Allow it to flash through your windows and heat the room by clearing the curtains and blinds during the day, then closing them an hour before sunset to mildly trap what little of the sun’s heat is left for the night. For healthier ventilation and a smoother flow of air, vacuum all of your vents and any other heating components, including your chimney. Give it a thorough cleaning and, while you are at it, make sure the firewood is well stocked. Avoid brisk surprises by making sure your chimney’s draft-blocker is secure and not too rusty, and by sealing any air-conditioning units with plastic covering.
After checking and adjusting all facets of your house, there are a few simple items that provide the final touches of an ideally cozy indoor environment. Break out all of the quilts, comforters and heavy blankets from the closet for a good dry cleaning and add a nice set of flannel sheets to your beds. Electric blankets and space heaters can always add the extra warmth you need on those nights you were not expecting below-freezing temperatures. A full kettle on the stove must be readily accessible at all times. Even better, two full kettles can keep you supplied with a seemingly endless spring of tea, coffee and hot cocoa.
The cold comes in wild and windy spurts, wet and icy deluges, or soft and fluffy flakes. Even during those nicer moments, it is always a relief to have a warm and dry place for escape. Making early preparations for winter is not an act of dismissing autumn or passing over Halloween for a longer Christmas. Inspecting and adding a few things around your home are small accomplishments that can ease your transition from the current season to the colder one.
– Kirk Cassels
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