Spring Forward on Sunday March 11, 2012 and take some additional actions
As most of know but tend to forget, we need to spring forward on March 11, 2012 at 2:00 A.M. and turn our time pieces forward one hour. It is always easy to remember if you think about spring forward and fall back when it comes to setting the time.
There are several other things I think most of us should schedule time to do to coincide with the time change. These tasks for the most part are items we all tend to forget or just ignore. If we plan to add these items to our list of essential to do’s we know that these items will be done at least twice a year when the time changes. Here are the items to consider:
· Replace all the air filters in your home and attic. Most inspectors I speak to advise we should replace these filters every 30 days. That is probably a good idea but really who is going to remember to do this chore every month?
· Check your home sprinkler system to see if it works, has any new leaks and examine the days and times of watering. I know in most areas of Texas we all had some type of watering restrictions last year due to the drought. Now is the time to check out your system and turn it back on. Back East it might be too early to turn your system on but that does not prevent you from doing an inspection.
· Carefully examine all trees and shrubs to see if any need to be removed or trimmed. There may be a branch of a tree which needs immediate attention before it falls and someone gets hurt.
· Talk about fire safety for your home with all family members and find at least two escape routes. The result might be your family investing a in a folding ladder to hang out from a second story window in case of fire.
· Reset all inside and outside lights which have some sort of timing mechanism to come on or off at the appropriate time now that DST has arrived.
· Find all home fire extinguishers and make sure they all still will function if needed. A couple of times during the last few years I have had to use an extinguisher to put out a fire raging inside my gas grill. Buy new extinguishers if the old are not charged or working.
· Here is one item which will save you from a major interruption of your sleep. Replace all batteries in the smoke detectors in your home. I don’t know about the rest of you but it is inevitable these darn detectors batteries will go out In the middle of the night and there is almost nothing worse than searching your home while half asleep trying to figure out which alarm has an issue and everyone else is shouting at you to stop that horrible noise.
Have some fun this weekend and do a few extra errands which will produce big dividends in the future days of Spring and Summer.
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