Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 30, 1994                   TAG: 9411300032
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: GENE AUSTIN KNIGHT-RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

GETTING A HOUSE READY FOR WINTER

Following is a checklist of things that may need to be done:

Clean rain gutters. Leaves and other debris should be removed from gutters and downspouts to prevent winter clog-ups, a frequent cause of basement flooding and roof leaks.

Close and drain outside faucets. Turn off water to outside faucets at shutoff valves inside the house. Open the faucets and let water drain out. Leave faucet stems in the open position. Special freeze-proof faucets, which have long stems that reach inside the house, do not need to be drained.

Drain and store garden hoses. Make sure all the water is out of a hose before storing it in a sheltered place. If the hose is on a hose-cart holder, the holder should also be fully drained before storing.

Winterize machinery. Drain most of the fuel from gasoline-powered lawn and garden equipment that will not be used until spring, then run them out of gas. Fuel additives (called stabilizers) are available for those who want to leave fuel in place, but in my opinion draining is safer and better.

Prepare for snow. Get snowblowers ready for use by adding fresh fuel and checking the equipment to make certain it works. Stock up with some ice-melting chemicals, a snow shovel and ice chipper.

Check weatherstripping. Drafty doors and windows should be sealed with weatherstripping to prevent drafts and heat loss. Door bottoms are an especially common source of drafts - install inexpensive ``sweeps'' on door to keep out cold air.

Check caulking. Loose or cracked caulking should be removed and replaced with fresh caulk. Check and recaulk gaps around the outside of windows, doors, and pipes that penetrate exterior walls.

Remove or seal window air conditioners. Removal is best, since few window air conditioner can be adequately sealed against air infiltration.

Check storm windows: Inspect all windows and, in self-storing storm windows, put screens in the storage position and move protective glazing to the openings.

Have central heaters checked. Central heaters should be given an annual cleaning and tuneup by a heating technician. An annual tuneup is especially important for oil-fired heaters.

Keep heater filters clean. The air filter of a forced-air furnace should be replaced once a month during the heating season if a standard filter is used.

Have chimneys checked. Chimney sweeps are listed under ``chimney cleaners'' in the yellow pages.

Check fireplace dampers. Make sure the damper opens and closes properly before using the fireplace.

Inspect exterior paint. Wood with peeling or missing paint could be rotted by spring if left unprotected. Scrape off loose paint, prime bare areas and repaint with an exterior-grade paint.

Patch cracks in outside masonry. Check driveways, patios and other masonry surfaces for cracks and use patchers to seal them.

Winterize refrigerator-freezers. Energy-saving switches such as Power Misers in refrigerator-freezers should be off in winter to save electricity. An energy-saving switch operates a heater that warms the outside of the appliance and prevents condensation on the cabinet. The heater is usually needed only during humid summer weather.