by Roberta Murphy
As I drive around checking out Carlsbad and La Costa real estate in Autumn, it’s clear the season is in full swing. We’ve had light rainfall the last couple of nights and amidst our palms and Birds of Paradise are some deciduous trees dropping their colorful leaves. Pumpkins and gourds decorate front doorsteps as we all await Halloween Eve.
This is also a time when we start thinking abouty “winterizing” our coastal San Diego homes. This is the time to get your furnace inspected and cleaned if necessary and certainly change out the filters on a monthly basis for better energy efficiency. This year, you may also want to consider getting a programmable thermostat, if you do not already own one.
Have a fireplace? You might also want to get it checked out to make sure no bee hives or old birds’ nests are obstructing the chimney flow. Chances are good that your fireplace is gas-powered, but should you have a wood-buring fireplace, it might be a good time to stock up on firewood. Finally, you want to make sure your damper opens and closes properly.
Now it’s time to begin winterizing your home outside. Check the doors and windows of your home. Put weatherstripping around doors and caulk windows to keep cold air out. Seal any exterior cracks. Fortunately, we don’t have to worry about winter screens, storm windows and storm doors in our balmy climate!
One thing we should all do is to clean out the rain gutters around our homes. The debris can be cleaned with a hose. If trees are around your home, you might want to consider putting leaf guards on the gutters as well as extensions on downspouts to keep water away from your home. Check your foundation for any entry points where small animals could squeeze through and seal them up. The last thing you need when it’s cold is a rodent problem.
Winterizing our homes here does not mean that gardening tools and lawn mowers can be put away. Gardens flourish and grass grows year round–and winter provides no break. Now’s the time to plant our winter gardens–that might include such things as lettuce, kale, spinach, and other cool weather wonders.