I know we gave you a fall checklist for your home but October is such an important month to get ready for winter along with home maintenance we had to share more.  Enjoy all those fun fall moments but also make time to these 5 things to your home.

1. Check Smoke Detectors

October is Fire Safety Month, so this is the perfect time to make sure your home — and family — are safe. This is the time of year to check your smoke detectors. Regardless of whether they are hardwired, interconnected or battery-powered, you should have smoke detectors on every level of your home, particularly in the kitchen, hallways near bedrooms and basement. Purchasing a fire extinguisher is one of the best investments a homeowner can make. Should you ever need to use it, just remember the acronym PASS: Pull the pin to release the handle, aim the extinguisher at the base of the fire, squeeze the trigger, and sweep the discharge stream at the base of the fire.

2. Check Your Fire Place

Don’t wait until it’s so cold you’re ready to start up the fire: You’ll want to prepare your fireplace early for regular use. Check your chimney for chips or cracks, and make any necessary repairs. Inspect the door gaskets for a tight seal, then clean soot buildup or call in a professional chimney sweeper.

3. Check Your Heating/HVAC

Just like your fireplace make sure you don’t wait until it’s cold and you need to turn your heat on before you think about it. Check it yourself or call a professional if you don’t have the knowledge or expertise.

4.  Insulate

Before temperatures drop down to freezing make sure your home will be one that will stay warm and keep your energy bills low. Attics are one of the biggest culprits when it comes to winter energy loss, so make sure you have enough insulation.

5. Seal

Check your windows and make sure they are not drafty. You can seal them or if they are very old you may want to get a window replacement estimates. If this is not a possibility you can cover them with plastic which is not the most attractive option or over around them with a sealant. You want to also make sure your doors are sealed. Check all your pipes and around the places they go from inside your home onto the outside. You can also insulate your water pipes to make sure you reduce the risk of freezing during a winter freeze.