Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday, November 4. You'll get an extra hour of sleep, so why not take advantage of that time to improve the safety of your home. We made a list of five things homeowners should do this weekend that will help you rest easier.
1. Turn clocks back one hour
Don't forget to set your clocks back by one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday. In the digital age most clocks, including the ones on our smartphones, set themselves. But microwaves and ovens are on a short list of household appliances that will need a manual adjustment. It may be worth changing the times before going to bed Saturday to mitigate any confusion first thing Sunday morning.
2. Replace smoke detector batteries
Officials generally use Daylight Saving Time as a reminder for homeowners to replace smoke detector batteries. No one wants to listen to the low-battery alarm. Do your ears a favor and change the batteries now to ensure the smoke detector is working and doing its job to save your life.
3. Restock your emergency kit
There's no better time to prepare for a disaster than today because once a disaster strikes it's too late. The list of supplies is long. People need food, water, flashlights, and much more. Take advantage of the "extra" hour from Daylight Saving Time to make a preparedness plan and stock, or restock, your emergency kit.
KING 5's Disaster Preparation section also offers complete coverage and tips on how to prepare yourself and your families, including a printable disaster checklist, building an emergency supply kit on a budget, and how to prepare your pets for a natural disaster.
4. Clean out the gutters
Autumn weather is back, bringing rain and wind to the Pacific Northwest. Leaves have been falling for weeks and agencies are already warning residents to clear out neighborhood storm drains. Closer to home, leaves are likely making a mess of your gutters as well. Our weather will only get worse as it gets closer to winter, why not get it over with now?
Not interested in cleaning the gutters yourself? Shop around for help. Try checking out sites like Groupon that may have deals.
5. Check furnace and air filters
Our homes collect plenty of dirt throughout the year. Take advantage of this reminder to check furnaces and replace air filters if necessary. Both should be checked at least once a year.
Crews responded to smoke in a home on South Hill today, Cause? Furnace was not serviced and filters not changed in over...
