Keeping up with regular home maintenance is vital, says home inspector Reinhard Thomas of Professional Home Inspections Ltd., “to keep your home safe, to keep the moisture out, and overall, to keep the value of the house up.”

Maintenance is perhaps most important in the spring and fall, when weather switches from one extreme to the other. These are perfect times to organize, analyze and prioritize so that the remainder of the following two seasons can be enjoyed worry-free, with a minimum of maintenance. In the spring, there’s spring cleaning. In the fall, there’s winterizing.

Start in the garden, before you store the tools for the season. Clean dead growth from plants; weed the gardens; fertilize perennials with 0-10-10; cover marginal (Zone 3/4) perennials with extra soil from annuals pots; spread compost; and dig up spring bulbs (except lilies) to store in vermiculite or sand in a cool, dark place for the winter.

Roses should be covered with rose cones after the ground freezes, but cedars should be left uncovered, advises Peggy Pelford, general manager of Greengate Garden Centre. “They’ll just burn,” she explains. “Just give them more moisture; spray them down on warm days.”

Ensure your lawn’s health by fertilizing with a fall fertilizer and checking the length of your grass. “Don’t cut it too short, but don’t leave it too long,” says Pelford. “If it’s too long, it will get snow mould; if it’s too short, it will be under stress over the winter.” Ideally, try to leave the grass three inches long.

Pelford also stresses that plants should not go into winter dry – water them now before flushing out your underground sprinklers, turning off the water valve for your outside tap inside the house and draining the hose.

Last, clean the garden tools and store properly for winter, and empty and clean plant pots.

Next, it’s time to store the summer tools and activities and bring out the winter equipment. This is a good time to think about garage organization. Rather than throwing the spade and hose on the pile and futilely digging for the skis, why not use this opportunity to bring some order to your storage?

Randy Seib, owner of Garage Boyz, suggests grouping items in the garage into “pods.” This might include a recycling system, a sports pod, a garden pod and a pod for tools as well as overhead storage. Each pod may be an open storage area incorporating hooks, or closed within a cabinet. Once the initial organization is completed, Seib predicts that it should only take an hour or two each season to reorganize according to your needs. During this short reorganization, be sure to clean all tools for storage, store last season’s items properly (games, sports equipment, holiday decorations) and bring out everything you’ll need for the coming season. In the fall, this might mean the snow shovel, sidewalk salt, Christmas decorations and winter sports gear.

Last, and most importantly, is general home maintenance. This is the part that will (hopefully) keep you from freezing in the middle of January or save you from a burst pipe on the coldest day of the year.

A main concern going into winter is the furnace or boiler. It is worth the money to have your heating system checked by a professional at least every two years. Fall is a good time to change the furnace filter, clean the humidifier, examine the furnace fan belt for wear, clean furnace fan blades (disconnect motor first), turn the pilot light on and vacuum the ducts at floor level. Make sure any electric space heaters have sufficient clearance from combustibles.

For your family’s safety, also test the ground fault circuit interrupters, carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors. This should be done monthly and is even more important in the winter months when the furnace is running and lights and appliances run for more hours of the day.

To ensure the efficiency of your home, replace window screens with storm windows, check that all windows, skylights and doors close tightly, and inspect the attic to make sure the insulation is not wet and has not been displaced during severe winds.

Prevent plumbing problems by ensuring that plumbing in cold areas (such as crawl spaces) will not freeze. See “Your Winterizing Checklist” for more tips on how to prepare your home for winter.  NL

YOUR WINTERIZING CHECKLIST
• Clean gutters and test downspouts.
• Check for damaged roof and flashing.
• Ensure the yard is graded to encourage drainage.
• Cut back deciduous vines from wood trim and gutters.
• Check foundation for evidence of deterioration, dampness and movement.
• Weed gardens.
• Spread compost.
• Clean dead growth from plants.
• Cut down perennials and fertilize with 0-10-10.
• Dig up spring bulbs (except lilies) and store in sand or vermiculite in a cool, dry place, for the winter.
• Cover roses once the ground freezes.
• Mow and fertilize lawn.
• Water plants.
• Drain and store hoses; shut off outside
  water valve and drain hose bib.
• Store outdoor furniture, tools and toys.
• Bring out and inspect winter supplies:
  snow blower, shovel and sidewalk salt.
• Cover outside of air conditioning units; clear of debris and vegetation.
• Remove window air conditioners.
• Ensure that windows and doors are draft-free.
• Remove screens from all windows; install storm windows.
• Have furnace or boiler serviced by a professional.
• Turn on pilot lights for gas furnace and gas fireplace.
• Check and clean furnace filter each month during heating season.
• Vacuum ducts.
• Clean portable humidifier.
• On air systems with air conditioning, open humidifier damper and clean humidifier.
• Clean fireplace and chimney.
• Test ground fault circuit interrupters, carbon monoxide detector and smoke detectors.
• Test the Temperature and Pressure Relief valve on water heaters.
• Replace or clean all hood fan filters.
• Assess attic: are vents obstructed? Is there any evidence of leakage, condensation or mice? Is insulation level?
• Inspect all walkways, decks and patios for deterioration and safety hazards.
• Test garage door opener; clean and lubricate.
• Clean and service appliances as per manufacturers’ instructions.
• Prepare emergency supplies in case of a storm or power outage: emergency numbers (including the numbers of the utility companies); candles and
  matches; flashlight; battery operated  radio; extra batteries; bottled water and canned food.