Whenever we change the clocks for that lovely hour of extra sleep, I know it's time for my husband and me to get through our list of items to prepare our home for the winter months. While its not the most enjoyable of projects, we're always so very grateful come spring time to have done the work. In my world of selling homes, I see countless inspection items that could have been easily (and inexpensively) avoided by a little proper maintenance. So here's my list ~ feel free to comment with items that you tackle too!

Fall Home Maintenance Checklist:

1. Have the sprinklers blown out and winterized. It's about $55-$65, takes but a half hour or so, and can save you hundreds in repair costs on your system should water freeze in your lines. I like Earthservices, 303-935-7193; but there are lots of others out there as well. Drain your outdoor hoses and store in your garage or basement. Cover your outdoor spigots with a foam insulated cover. You can find one in our neighborhood Ace Hardware store at 3758 Osage St.

2. Call your HVAC vendor to come out and clean and service your furnace. Mine does it for under $150. An annual clean and check is one of the most important things you can do to keep your furnace in good shape. While you're at it, have the tech show you how to change the filter, and go and purchase a half dozen or so. Change the filters on the first of each month. It will keep your furnace working more efficiently and your home cleaner. My fave vendor is Rodney King, The Heat Guy, 303-432-9100. 

3. Clean your gutters. As my favorite home inspector likes to say, "www stands for Water Will Win, all day everyday." Water is destructive to the exterior of your home, so make sure that it has a swift path to flow away from your home. Start by cleaning out the gutters of leaves and debris. Visually inspect the gutters to ensure that they are secure and don't have holes or corrosion.

4. Check and seal any gaps around your windows and doors. Weatherstripping and caulking is inexpensive and easy to install ~ even for novices. It will save you money on your heating bills, and in the case of caulking around entry points for cable, gas, and such, will help keep heat-seeking critters out of your home.

5. Change the batteries in your smoke and CO detectors. By now I think we are all trained to to this when we change the clocks, but it really can save your life. And there seems to be an immutable law of nature that if a detector battery is going to fail, it will happen at 3:00 am when I am not at my best.

6. Fireplace Flue Cleaning. If you are lucky enough to have a wood burning fireplace (they are becoming less common in Denver), then by all means have a Chimney Sweep come and clean your flue, check on the operation of the damper and ensure that no wildlife has decided to make your chimney their home.

7. Outdoor Patio Spaces. If you are lucky enough to have storage space indoors, your furniture will last much longer. If that's not you, then furniture covers are a wise investment. If you can move your furniture under a covered space, even better.

Once I've worked through the list, we like to enjoy a little treat ~ perhaps a libation at Ernies Bar & Pizza or a warm sweet beverage at Common Grounds?