If you’ve lived in Saskatchewan for any length of time, you know fall doesn’t always give us much warning.
One minute we’re enjoying the last warm days on the deck, and the next we’re scraping frost off the windshield wondering if it’s too early to turn on the furnace.
Spoiler: around here, it’s never too early to be ready.
At Gibbon Heating & Air Conditioning, we’re your neighbours too. And just like a good neighbour might remind you to disconnect the garden hose before the temperature drops, we thought we’d put together a simple fall checklist to help get your home ready for another Saskatchewan winter.
Your Saskatchewan Fall Home Checklist
✓ Give Your Furnace a Test Run
Don’t wait for the first -20°C morning to find out your furnace has a problem.
Turn up the thermostat and let your furnace run before you actually need it. Listen for unusual noises, make sure warm air is coming from your vents and pay attention to any strange smells that don’t disappear after the first little while.
If something doesn’t seem right, it’s much nicer to deal with it now than during the first cold snap.
✓ Change Your Furnace Filter
This is one of the easiest things you can do to help your heating system do its job.
Check your furnace filter and replace it if it’s dirty. A clean filter helps maintain airflow and keeps your system from working harder than it needs to.
And maybe grab an extra filter while you’re at it. Future-you will appreciate finding one in the utility room in January.
✓ Check Your Thermostat
Switch your thermostat from cooling to heating and make sure everything responds properly.
If your thermostat uses batteries, fall is also a great time to replace them.
It’s a tiny job that’s very easy to forget, until the thermostat stops cooperating on a cold day.
✓ Check Your Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Test the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home and replace batteries where needed.
With furnaces, fireplaces and other heating equipment being used more often during the colder months, this belongs near the top of every fall checklist.
✓ Take a Walk Around Your Home
Before the snow covers everything, do a quick lap around the house.
Look for gaps around windows and doors, damaged weatherstripping, cracks that may need attention and anywhere cold Saskatchewan air might find its way inside.
A little work now can make your home much more comfortable when winter settles in.
✓ Disconnect Those Garden Hoses!
Consider this your friendly neighbour reminder.
Disconnect and drain your outdoor hoses before freezing temperatures arrive. Prepare outdoor faucets for winter as appropriate for your home, and make sure irrigation systems are properly winterized.
Because discovering a frozen or damaged pipe later is definitely not the kind of winter surprise anyone wants.
✓ Clean Your Gutters
Leaves, twigs and debris can build up quickly in the fall.
Give your gutters and downspouts a clean and make sure water can move away from your home properly before everything freezes solid.
✓ Clear the Area Around Your Outdoor Equipment
Leaves and debris can collect around outdoor HVAC equipment during fall.
Keep the area around your equipment clear and give it some breathing room heading into winter.
✓ Check Your Humidifier
Saskatchewan winters aren’t exactly known for humidity.
If your home has a whole-home humidifier, fall is a good time to check it, replace the pad if required and make sure it’s ready for heating season.
Your skin, furniture and static-shocked family members may thank you later.
✓ Don’t Forget the Dryer Vent
Your dryer may be working overtime once we’re back to heavier clothes, towels and winter gear.
Clean the lint trap regularly and make sure your dryer vent is clear and functioning properly. If it’s taking longer than usual for clothes to dry, don’t ignore it.
✓ Book Furnace Maintenance Before You Really Need Your Furnace
A fall furnace maintenance visit can help identify potential issues before your heating system is working its hardest.
After all, we’d much rather see you for planned maintenance on a nice fall day than because your house is getting colder by the minute in January.
Saskatchewan Winter Is Coming. Your Neighbours Are Ready.
There are plenty of things you can tackle yourself when getting your home ready for fall.
And there are a few things you might want a hand with. That’s where we come in. Whether you need furnace maintenance, have questions about your heating system, need plumbing looked at or something just doesn’t seem quite right, your neighbours at Gibbon Heating & Air Conditioning are just a call away.
No pressure. No complicated explanation required. Just tell us what’s going on, and we’ll help you figure out what comes next.
Because Saskatchewan winters may be unpredictable.
Your neighbours shouldn’t be.
Need a Hand Getting Your Home Fall-Ready?
Give Gibbon Heating & Air Conditioning a call and let’s make sure your home is ready for whatever Saskatchewan decides to throw at us this winter.
We’re your neighbour. And good neighbours take care of each other.