It’s a busy time and the daylight hours are receding even more. Even so, there are a few things one should take care of around the house this month:

Replenish Your Emergency Kit – Check to see that everything is working properly, that you have fresh batteries, and that food items haven’t expired.

Block Out Pests – if you can feel air moving around windows or doors, this is your sign to re-caulk or replace weatherstripping. Not only will you be warmer and your heating bills lower, but uninvited pests won’t find sanctuary.

Get Visitor-Ready – Out of town guests may soon be coming and it’s time to upgrade your guest room so that you are the host/hostess with the most-ess. Put together a simple welcome gift (think facewipes, hand cream and a small treat) and ensure that your guest bed has warm bedding and a throw blanket for additional comfort.

Drain in-ground Sprinkler – if you have in-ground sprinklers and haven’t drained them yet, now is the time. Low temperatures will break underground pipes too, so you want to be sure you’re taking good care of them.

Cover outdoor faucets and pipes in unheated garages – we mentioned this one last month too, but if you haven’t tackled this yet, close to freezing temperatures are in our forecast. Don’t risk frozen pipes!

Clean air vents – fall is a good time to clean out your air vents. There are local businesses that do this, or you can pull out your vacuum and do it yourself. Don’t forget the dryer vent also – this is a major fire hazard if not addressed regularly.