Every fall season presents us an extra hour when we turn our clocks back. Instead of enjoying some more sleep over the Daylight Savings Time, you can use that time to put your household in order. Here are some tasks you can do around your home during this time to ensure a safe and organized transition into the winter season.
Replace light bulbs
You’ll need sufficient light during the long, dark winter evenings. So, check your light bulbs and replace the faulty ones. You can also replace the traditional bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent or LED bulbs. According to the U.S Environmental Protection, replacing conventional bulbs with energy-efficient ones can save you at least $30 in energy bills over their lifetime.
Change smoke detector batteries
It is crucial to ensure that your carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms are working and have new batteries. Fire can destroy a house in as little as five minutes. With proper functioning smoke detectors, you can reduce the risk of dying in a fire by at least 50%.
Clean your dryer’s vents and ducts
One of the major causes of dryer fires is lint build up in the vent pipes and ducts outside your house. You can use your vacuum’s crevice tool to get rid of any substances blocking the ducts and vent pipes.
Clean the oven
The arrival of fall means that the holidays are around the corner. You want to prepare for holiday parties by making sure your kitchen is in great condition. One of the ways to get your kitchen in order is to run the oven’s self-cleaning function. You can also do some manual scrubbing to get rid of stubborn grime.
Check your HVAC system’s condensation drain
Make sure your HVAC system’s condensation drain is free of debris. Also, be sure it’s above the mulch level. If there’s a pan under your unit, pour some household bleach into the pan to neutralize any mold that could be growing.
Wash your pillows
It is important to clean your pillows at least twice a year to get rid of facial oil, dead skin, and dust mites that may have accumulated on them over time. Daylight Saving Time is an excellent time to do the cleaning. Consider replacing the pillows if you’ve used them for at least two years.
Review your household emergency plan
It is essential to ensure that your family knows what to do in case of an emergency. Use this time to review your emergency plan. If you don’t have an existing plan, then it’s time to create one.
Make sure addresses and contact information are up to date. Don’t forget to paste an emergency information page near your phone.
Optimize Your Time
Daylight Savings Time is the best time of the year to perform the annual or bi-annual home maintenance tasks. If you don’t have a checklist already for these tasks, you can use the list above. If you want to use this time to search for a new house, you can work with Team Couch to make your work easier.