Publication date: 10/22/2011

It's time to get your home ready for winter

While setting clocks to standard time may seem like an annoyance, you should use the switch to do the little things around the house to make sure it is ready for the long winter ahead.

Nov. 6 is the date we will "fall back" this year as we revert to standard time from daylight saving.

While getting an extra hour of sleep will feel good, this annual event is also a good time to do some important home maintenance.

The first thing you need to do is set all your clocks back one hour. But while you are at it, replace the batteries in your wall clocks, bedroom alarm clocks that have a battery back-up feature, programmable thermostat and other electronics that require batteries.

It is also a good time to change the batteries in the keypad for your garage door opener and the remote opener in your car.

In addition to changing batteries in your electronic appliances and devices, you should always change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors whenever we have a time change. It is also a good time to make sure your fire extinguishers are ready for use by checking that the gauge is in the "green" zone, which means it has the proper amount of pressure.

You should also check to make sure the pin is intact and the nozzle isn't obstructed.

It is also a good time to test and change the light bulbs around the exterior of the house to make sure you are ready for the extra use your lights get during the dark winter months.

Consider changing the bulbs that get the most use to light-emitting diode bulbs, which are much brighter than incandescent bulbs and can last tens of thousands of hours longer.

Also, remember to swap out those yellow "bug" lights you used during the summer on the porch or deck. No one likes to see yellow snow.

Change your furnace filter and clean or change the drum, pad or sponge in your humidifier, and turn the water valve to your humidifier on. Then switch the metal arm on your ductwork near the furnace to "W" (winter) from "S" (summer).

This enables the warm air from the furnace to flow through the humidifier during the winter.

While you are in the furnace room, clean out the tank of your water heater to keep it working efficiently.

You can clean the sediment that builds up by using 2 gallons of canning-strength vinegar (5 percent) per 30-gallon water heater. Turn off the burner, drain the tank and pour in the vinegar through the anode rod hole, usually found on top of the tank. As with any home project, check your owner's manual if there is any question. Let the vinegar soak in the water heater for two hours. Rinse out the tank, then refill it with water and turn on the burners.

Obviously, when we switch to standard time, it means the winter weather isn't far behind. In fact, some meteorologists are predicting that the Midwest and Great Lakes states will experience a colder than average winter with about the same amount of snow as last year. So the sooner you get these little projects behind you, the sooner you can start shopping for those tickets to Florida.

If you would like to suggest a question for this column, e-mail askglenn@masterhandyman.com. If you want to talk to Glenn Haege personally, call his 'Handyman Show' on WJR-AM (760) at (866) ASK GLENN, (866) 275-4536, between noon and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The 'Handyman Show' can be heard on more than 130 radio stations.

Note: This article was accurate at the date of publication. However, information contained in it may have changed. If you plan to use the information contained herein for any purpose, verification of its continued accuracy is your responsibility.

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