Are you ready for some fall time?

Fall is finally here in our grip, or so we think. I'm not sure if we'll hit the '80s any time soon, but if we do, it could be a good respite from many days of chill. So far, it's been pleasant excluding Tuesday, October 14 which was a gully washer. I braved the storm to get into work thinking that I crushed a lone tree branch, worrying that I did some tire damage. All looked well before and after work. When I was driving that afternoon, something else happened: a flat tire on the worst place to be the victim of a flat tire aside from Germany's Autobahn. I did my best to wave down the departing HERO unit (one of those folks who help stranded motorists) from a nearby location, but guess what: no dice. The HERO driver clearly ignored me. As Joe Walsh sings, "City streets don't have much pity." Well in this case, that massive super highway 'don't have much pity.' Anyway, I experienced quite a douzy getting the spare on and replacing the tire. It turned out, I picked up a nail somewhere along the ride. Note to all drivers: I'm not sure if that road hazard warranty thing really pays off in the long run. Hmm, what's with my Eagles (the rock music group, not the tire) references here? If you want any advice from me on the tire road hazard warranty, write me here in the comments section. So, back to autumn. It's certainly nice to not have to crank the air as much at this time of the year, right?

Speaking of one's autumn comfort level, cool nights either means open windows or turning on that furnace. Speaking of the furnace, now is a great time to get that furnace checked, especially for dirty filters and heat exchange cracks. For those in the know on home maintenance, this is all beyond old news. Nevertheless, it's always great to beat the furnace-check-rush.

What's also beyond old news is that advice on insulation. Every year it seems that manufacturers are coming out with niftier insulation products to protect our homes from autumn's and winter's cold wrath. Whether it's foam products to wrap those copper pipes, attic insulation or caulking to seal up doors and windows, the home improvement sector offers awesome tools to keep homes free of drafts and of course, bring down those energy bills.

Between years with severe droughts and years with an over abundance of rainfall, the metro area's trees have taken a pounding. That is why with every strong storm system that moves through the area, trees falling down always seem to be part of the media's coverage. As we move into fall and perhaps icy conditions this upcoming winter, it's a good idea to have nearby trees assessed by an arborist. If you need serious tree work done, there are scores of great tree companies out there.

So, as you crank up that Saturday afternoon college football game, check the calendar to have that furnace and insulation checked. Now, about getting that carpet cleaned before Thanksgiving...