Getting ready for fall

Oklahoma is preparing for a cold front.  Now is not unusual for Oklahoma to have cold fronts, but it it’s a tab weird for there to be snow predicted for the panhandle before the 15 of September.  The earliest snow on record for the panhandle was September 18, 1981, and they received 3 inches.

Now the Oklahoma City area isn’t looking at prediction of snow, just a severe drop in temperatures.  From highs in the 90’s to highs in the 70’s in 48 hours. 

Those temperatures are what fall, football, pumpkin patches and pumpkin spice lattes all share.   It’s a promise of cooler days, even cooler nights, shorter days, and changing leaves Summer is ending and fall is quickly on its heels. 

While summer makes us think of pools, lakes, boats, barbeque and tans, fall puts a stop to all of it.

Fall should be making us think of closing up and preparing for winter.  Like squirrels hunting nuts.   Now is the time to think about winterizing, not just your home and property, but your elderly neighbors as well.

So, here are a few tips to winterize your home and prepare for winter.

• Check the gutters.I know there’s going to be a lot more leaves falling, but keep those cleaned out, or even better install a gutter guard system.If you have elderly neighbors, check theirs as well. They probably didn’t have them check last year.
• Protect the pipes.Unhook your water hoses and cover outside water faucets.Keep just one open for those fall flowers that need watering.
• Seal any cracks, caulk around holes and openings.Install weather stripping around doors and window.
• Purchase ice melt, or cat litter now to have on hand when an ice events finally occurs.
• Have your heating system checked, change the filters, and check your smoke detectors/carbon monoxide detectors.
• Cover the outside attic vents
• Make sure car tires are rotated and in good condition.
• Clear the yard.Keep the trees trimmed and remove any dead branches and debris.Ice, snow, and wind can weaken trees and cause branches to fall and potential damage your home, car, yourself and other.
• Make sure you have a contact number for any of your neighbors that might be older.Also make sure they have contact numbers for you.

This year has been a difficult one, so let’s make sure that we are better prepared for the seasons changing, that our neighbors are going to be safe and help to prevent falls and injuries.  

“An ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. “    Benjamin Franklin