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Country Lifehome Cold weather prep, indoors garden Let's face it. Winter is coming. So, now's the time to get your home ready for the impending rain, cold and, depend- ing on where you are, snow. With so many ways to prep your home for the impending arrival of Old Man Win- ter, we have a couple of simple guides for your home's interior and exterior. Today, we'll investigate how to prep indoors. Chimne y maintenance: When was the last time you ran your fire- place? Chances are it's been a few months. So before you get a raging fire going, it's a good idea to clean the fireplace and flue. A dirty chimney can pose a real fire hazard, thanks to creosote, a com- bustible residue left behind from burning wood. Although it's possible to do this yourself, we recommend hir- ing a chimney sweep to take care of the dirty work. Sean Murphy Project Home cracks or leaks. Things to eliminate from your chimney include: any birds, rodents or pests that may be stuck (and prob- ably dead by now), the toxic buildup of cre- osote, and any Caulking and weather stripping: Your doors and windows can be the biggest culprits of air leakage in your home, and fixing these problems is easy. If you Fall marigolds loved by butterflies have leaks at your doors or windows, use weather strip- ping or apply a bead of caulking to shore them up. Ventilation: Speaking of leakage, your home still requires a certain amount of airflow. It's a fine balance, but a home with too much airflow can be drafty and expensive to warm. And a home that's too tightly con- structed or has limited air- flow that lacks proper venti- lation and could have poor indoor air quality. Here in the North Valley, we'll get our fair share of heavy winter rain. Have a plan to deal with excess water (whether it's a bit of water from outdoors, flood- ing or water damage) so that mold and mildew don't suddenly appear and terror- ize your home. Because it will. And then you have other health and structural issues to worry about. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors: You for fall. It was about this time last year I got into a pretty heated argument about whether they attracted butterflies. You would think a couple of geezers getting up there in years could argue about something else -- like the economy. But instead we chose to have at it over marigolds and but- terflies. For years I had been involved in trialing marigolds and remember seeing butterflies having a feast. On the other hand I simply never took a photo to prove it. However, I recently visited Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Ga., and it was a butterfly frenzy on the marigolds. What really surprised me was that they were also feeding on the African or large flowered marigolds too! I hate terms like French Marigolds (Tagetes patula) and African Marigolds (Tagetes erecta), and there are hundreds of varieties associated with each. There are numerous hybrids of the two, adding further to the confusion. You may even find the name American associated with the African hybrids. By Norman Winter McClatchy-Tribune News Service Marigolds have always been among my favorite flowers Mexico and Guatemala; the African Marigolds are from Mexico and Central America; and neither of those groups are Mexican Marigolds, which are known botanically as Tagetes lucida and actually are from Mexico. This sounds like the horticultural comedy hour. The reason I hate it is that the French Marigolds are from Both the French and the African Marigolds have the abil- ity to really put on a show. While we may have paid more attention in recent years to the very large-flowered African selections like Inca, Marvel, Antigua and Perfection, there is something to be said for the power of the smaller French- flowered selections. known as French Dwarf Crested types like Aspen, Bonan- za and the Janie series. Then there is the French Dwarf Anemone series that includes Durango and Troubadour. Lastly, there are the French Fully Double types, such as the Aurora series. No matter which you choose the colors are rich and vibrant. In the French marigold group, you will find what are like a garden pro. First, plant enough to make a real show; one jumbo six-pack isn't enough. Plant marigolds by the flat to do justice to your planting. One thing you'll notice is that late summer or early fall planted marigolds generally bloom before chrysanthemums and will still be blooming after mums are finished. Now you know you'll also be feeding butterflies. Fertile, well-drained soil and full sun will make you look Sizzling color combinations can be made using blue or violet companions for a complementary color scheme. If you are growing those in the orange-to-red color scheme, then blue is the best choice as a companion plant. If you are growing those in the yellow range, then violet-to-purple col- ors may be the best, such as the fall blooming Mexican bush sage. Don't forget that the oranges and yellows also partner well together in the analogous color scheme. Warmer regions of the country can still get plenty of Here's how to get through this winter without burst pipes, broken fur- naces, heat loss, ice dams, house fires, flooded base- ments, unwanted critters, huge energy bills, cold feet and other problems that can plague the frigid-weather homeowner. CHIMNEY —Have it inspected by a professional chimney inspector every year. —Have it cleaned every year or two, or more if you have a lot of fires or tend to burn softer woods. —A chimney cap with a rain hood and screen will minimize rain damage and keep critters out. FIREPLACE firewood. A fireplace store can recommend someone to deliver and stack it for you. Store it away from your house to keep mice and other vermin at a distance. —Close the damper when the fireplace is not in use. When you're using it, turn down the thermostat and open a window near the fireplace to prevent warm air from being pulled from other parts of the house. —Install glass doors on —Stock up on clean, dry the fireplace to keep warm air from being drawn up the chimney. —If you use the fire- place frequently, a fireplace insert improves efficiency by blowing heat into the room and limiting heat loss up the chimney. KEEP THE COLD OUT AND THE HEAT IN —Reducing air leaks and properly insulating walls, crawl spaces and floors can cut energy bills by up to 10 percent. Seal leaky ducts with metal- backed tape or aerosol sealant. Consider having your insulation updated to save money, improve com- fort and lower the risk of ice dams. —Set your thermostat between 65 and 70 degrees when you're home; lower it when you're sleeping or away from home for more than a few hours. Use a pro- grammable thermostat to make the switches automat- ic. energy company. Through Xcel Energy, for example, a professional will inspect your home and identify ways you can save on ener- gy, including windows, insulation, and heating and cooling systems. Cost: $30 to $100. TOASTY at low speed in reverse direction (clockwise) so the blades drive warm air down KEEP ROOMS —Run your ceiling fan into the room. HEATING & probably already have smoke detectors, so just be sure to change the batteries to ensure they're at full power. We've all heard about the potentially fatal dangers of carbon monoxide inside the home. Carbon monox- ide is often produced in homes that have older heat- ing elements (like furnace and heating ducts) and cooking equipment. Car- bon monoxide detectors are relatively inexpensive and can truly help to save a life. Now that we've gone over how to prep your indoors for winter, next week we'll take on the great outdoors. Until next time, Happy Home Improving. Sean Murphy is a copywriter for Build.com in Chico. Visit the company's website for more home improvement tips at www.build.com. Awinter survival guide for your house —Change your furnace filters per the manufacturer recommendations. Most homes are built with a 1- inch filter which should be refreshed every month. —Clean your furnace before the first cold spell. If your furnace isn't too dirty, you can save money by vac- uuming the blades yourself. —Get acquainted with your house's ductwork. Saturday, October 13, 2012 – Daily News 3B Most homes are equipped with dampers, allowing you to change the volume of heat delivered upstairs, downstairs and all rooms in- between. PESTS —Repair exterior dam- age that might invite pests. Carpenter ants like leaky pipes, warped storm win- dows and tattered roof shin- gles. Frayed screens and chewed-through door sweeps attract rodents. —On sunny days, open curtains and blinds to let the sun's heat in. Close them at night to trap the warmth inside. enjoyment out of marigolds this fall; the rest will have to wait until spring or late summer next year. I assure you that these little troopers you loved as a kid are even better now. Both you and the butterflies will love them. windows, which reduce drafts and frost formation and can cut heat loss through the window by 25 to 50 percent. For a cheaper alternative, cover windows with plastic. —Schedule a home energy audit through your —Close or install storm