Fall is just a few weeks away. Time to start making your list of things to get done while the weather is nice. *Examine your roof and gutters and make needed repairs *Prepare your fireplace, discard old ashes, check the damper handle and springs to ensure the flue is operating properly and hire a chimney sweep if needed *Now is the perfect time to drain your water heater and make sure rust isn’t developing in your tank. If your water heater is old, you may want to consider a new one before winter comes and you go to take a shower and there is no hot water *Check windows and doors for drafts. The majority of conditioned air in your home is lost through windows and doors. Get them properly sealed before cold weather arrives *Start taking care of your lawn needs now, if you want to prevent spring weeds and winter lawn damage, now is the time to fertilize *Clean, service and put away all lawn/garden items once you are done preparing for fall/winter. I can never say this enough – disconnect your garden hose from the hose bib (faucet) and put a cover over the hose bib when you use the hose for the last time before winter. This one precaution will prevent you from having a frozen/cracked water line when spring arrives. De Hart Plumbing, serving Manhattan Kansas, Junction City Kansas and Wamego Kansas.