Kingston Home Survival Guide: Staying Cozy and Sane This Fall

Fall in Kingston is gorgeous — red maples, pumpkin spice everything, and that brief sweet spot before winter arrives and reminds us why snow tires are a thing. But before you curl up with a butter tart and Netflix, it’s time to get your house ready for the season. Here’s how to do it without feeling like you signed up for a second job.

1. Check Your Heating System (Because January is Not the Time for Surprises)

Nothing says “romance” like a furnace tune-up. Book a professional inspection now so you’re not shivering under three blankets in February, Googling “DIY furnace repair” at 2 a.m. Pro tip: if you have a fireplace or wood stove, make sure your chimney is clean — squirrels don’t count as insulation.

2. Seal Up Drafts (Your Hydro Bill Will Thank You)

Downtown Kingston is full of beautiful old limestone homes… and beautiful old drafts. Walk around with a candle or an incense stick — if the flame flickers or the smoke dances, that’s a draft. A little weather stripping now means fewer icy blasts hitting you in the face while you’re trying to watch Hockey Night in Canada.

3. Clean the Gutters (Or Build a Leaf Dam — Your Choice)

Yes, it’s gross. Yes, it’s necessary. Those leaves piling up in your eavestroughs will turn into frozen, soggy lasagna if you don’t deal with them. And nothing says “fun” like an ice dam in January. Grab a ladder, some gloves, and maybe a friend to hold the ladder so you don’t become Kingston’s next downtown spectacle.

4. Inspect the Roof (Preferably From the Ground)

If you see missing shingles, don’t just squint and hope they grow back like hair. A small patch now is cheaper than calling a roofer mid-blizzard while your dining room turns into an indoor skating rink.

5. Winterize Outdoor Spaces (Goodbye, Patio Life)

Turn off and drain your outdoor faucets unless you want a free ice sculpture come December. Put away the hose, cover the barbecue, and drag in that patio furniture. Yes, it’s sad. Yes, you’ll see it again in May.

6. Rake and Compost Leaves (Or Pretend It’s “Natural Mulch”)

Sure, you could leave the leaves… until you’re ankle-deep in mush and your grass gives up the will to live. Bag them up for Kingston’s yard waste collection or start a compost. Bonus: you get to feel smugly eco-friendly while doing it.

7. Safety Check (Because Batteries Never Die in July)

Fall is the season of “replace the batteries in your smoke detectors” (a.k.a. that thing you only remember when it starts beeping at 3 a.m.). Do it now, along with testing your carbon monoxide detector. And if you’ll be using a fireplace, maybe dust off that fire extinguisher — because marshmallows are the only thing you want roasted indoors.

8. Cozy Touches (Optional, But Highly Recommended)

Bring out the blankets, swap the sheer curtains for something with a little weight, and maybe add some cinnamon-scented candles. You deserve to enjoy fall in Kingston without constantly worrying about your house falling apart around you.

Final Thoughts
Getting your Kingston home ready for fall isn’t rocket science — it’s just a mix of common sense and a little elbow grease. Do the work now, and you’ll be free to spend the next few months the way nature intended: complaining about the wind off Lake Ontario while secretly loving how cozy your house feels.