• Paint interior rooms while it’s still warm enough to leave windows open. Ditto for shampooing or replacing carpets.
• Check heating system including filters, pilot lights, and burners, and have the system serviced by a qualified professional.
• Clean and vacuum dust from vents, baseboard heaters and cold-air returns.
• Remove window air-conditioning units and store them. If they are not removable, cover them with plastic to protect them over the winter.
• Tour the outside of your house to make sure that soils around the foundation are properly graded. Soil should slope four to six inches for a distance of three feet out from the foundation walls.
• Watch for year-end close-out sales on lawn and garden equipment.
• Inspect storm windows for any signs of deterioration and make necessary repairs.