Squirrels do it, birds do it—and you should do it too: make your nest warm, safe, and snug before the chills of winter set in.

Outside the House

□ Clean your rain gutters. They need to be free of debris to do their job effectively. You may want to consider installing wire strainers. Doing this will continue to save you time from year to year.

□ Clean and store outdoor furniture. Usually all that is needed is to hose them down.

□ Now that you have repaired the windows, install your storm windows. This is pretty self explanatory. Saves a lot on fuel bills.

□ Drain outside faucets before the first freeze. Turn off the outside water. Wrap your pipes if necessary. Roll up your hoses and store them for the winter as well. Hoses aren’t terribly expensive, but why spend unnecessary money.

□ Double check the drainage around your home. In some areas there are pretty bad rainstorms and flooding in the home is not what anyone needs.

□ Check for drafts around the home, doors and windows or anywhere winter air might come in. Use the hair dryer and candle test. One person holds the hair dryer on one side of the door and another person holds a lit candle on the other. If the flame flickers, then you need to take care of the problem. Installing weather stripping just might be the answer.

Inside the House

□ Fill and clean the humidifier (if you have one). Start it to make sure it is working properly.

□ Have your heating system inspected by a qualified repair person. If you can’t do that, at least replace all of your filters. This will help the unit run more efficiently.

□ Check the area around your furnace and sweep up any debris. Keep the area clean will help to make it run more effectively.

□ Check your fireplace and clean it if necessary. Also be sure to check the damper. It should open and close without any problems. When closed it should keep out the winter air. Be sure to open it when you start a fire.

□ Drain and check out your hot water heater. You should drain it at least once a year anyway and this is a good time. Hook a hose to it and drain off at least 5 gallons of water. This will remove the sediment on the bottom and extend the life of your hot water heater.

□ If you have a garage door opener, this is good time to lubricate it. Spray the springs, the roller mechanisms and chain with WD-40. You really need to do this once a year. It will extend its life.

AND DON’T FORGET . . .