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October is a good month for householders to make lure eve . thing around the home in max for winter. The Ministry of Con. sumer and Commercial Relations has prepared a home-inspection checklist to help people figure out what minor jobs need tn be done before colder conditions turn little problem into big ones. "A householder's best bet in to start with our list, then go through the home and carefully note other items they think should be added," says Marilyn Gumvsky, at the ministry’s Con- sumer Services Bureau. Gurevsky reminds consumers who want to hire others to do the work to be sure to get a contract in writing - even for minor jobs. The contract needn't be elabo- rate, but should outline what will Check the following pages for valuable home i It's time to get your home ready for winter be done, who will do it and start- up and completion dates. It's important to make sure repair companies are competent before hiring. “The worst way to choose a heating-system Contrary tor, for example, is to pick some- one who calls or comes to your door," says Gurevsky. "Talk to friends and neighbors, or call your local fuel supplier for the names and addrems of responsi- ble heating contractors." Here's a list of items consumers should check every fall to make sure their homes will stand up to winter’s blast. 1. interior caulking along doors, windows, baseboards and in the basement should be carefully checked. Exterior caulking is equally important. 2, Weatherstripping and sea- ling on doors and windows should be snug. Gifiriicle 3. Consumer- who've already had timms pipes should consult I plumber to see if extra insulation can prevent this common prob lem. 5. Cheek the condition of the roof. Winter istt't the best time to 9, Rotten wood on decks, por- make repairs or replace it. d. chess, fences and gates should also be fixed now. 6. Eavestroughs and downsp outs backed up by dead leaves or 10. Check to make sure the debris, can create all sorts of rrreplaee chimney damper works. leakage problems when standing lf you don't have a damper, water freezes and expands. Doit- consider installing a cuatom.fit, yourselfers know cleaning the ted cover to save heat. 4. Additional insulation may also be called for if, say. the temperature in an attached, un- heated garage never drops below freezing in winter, or a roof loses snow cover very quickly. These are often an indication the home is losing an excessive amount of improvement tips for fall and winter 8. It's still not too late to repair cracks or heaving in sidewalks and driveways. left over the winter, a small job can turn into a big one. 7. In homes with forced-air heating system, dampers and inlet and outlet vents should be dusted with a vacuum cleaner. Check that vents aren't covered by furniture or carpets. 'saveemnraitiaestotsimNer than 1rTbpeotoet martrpotqtlermati-. tptfeere,ff/. the “an or tim and cum; monoxide poisoning, heating m mm should be professionally impeded and cleaned every year by a contractor registered nth the tninistry'ts Fuels Safety Branch, Consumers can help keep their heating system running safely by making sure the furnace has a good air supply, movmg all combustibles and conceives away from it and installing new an filters in forced-an furnaces These filters should be replaced three times a heating season Sometimes efforts to Improve energy emeieney can result m a house being so well sealed that furnaces and other fuel-burning appliances don't get enough an for proper combustion A regusr tered heating contractor can tell if this is a problem and suggest remedies.