When you think of your home in autumn you probably picture pumpkins on the front porch and Saturdays spent raking leaves. But is your home really ready for the colder months to come? Here are some suggestions to safely prepare your house for fall:

• Check and replace the batteries in your smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector.
• If you’ll be using a fireplace, wood stove, or kerosene heater, install a smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector near the area to be heated.
• Once a year you should have your chimney cleaned of soot and inspected by a professional. You might also want to check that no birds or animals moved in there over the summer.
• Go ahead and light that pumpkin spice candle! Just be sure to keep it away from decorations, children and pets.
• Make sure there’s no blockage in your gutters from falling leaves that could cause water to overflow in areas it shouldn’t.  If you have to clean them out, be safe on the ladder.
• Have your furnace or heating system and vent checked by a qualified technician to ensure they are functioning properly; you do not want to be caught off guard in the winter months with no heat! It’s also a good idea to change your furnace filter every season.