Adapt Your Cleaning Routine to the Season

Everywhere we look these days we see reminders that the cold dark days of winter will be here soon. For most of us, it means less time outdoors, driving to and from work in the dark and wearing layers of clothing.

I've also noticed that I've changed my cleaning routine.

The cleaning starts a little later in the day when there's enough natural light to see what we're doing. The hardwood floors get vacuumed more frequently to remove the leaves that blow in from outside whenever I open the garage door or front door. A BEAM Central Vacuum sure beats a broom for removing leaves. And raking the yard is overrated.

Speaking of outdoor issues, some Asian beetles were introduced to the Midwest several years ago as a way to control other insect pests in farm fields. They look like ladybugs, but an insect expert told me once they're a different species. The problem is they have become pests in their own right and cling to the south wall and window of  the house and often find their way inside. And they occasionally bite.

So last week, I pulled out the ultimate weapon -- my 30-foot central vacuum hose, and got every last one of them, removed the bucket, wrapped it in a plastic bag and drove five miles out to the countryside and liberated my catch.

Is Your Home Ready for the Chill?

With several remaining weeks of nearly perfect weather remaining, thoughts are starting to turn to the fall and winter heating season and how best to prepare for it.

Is there enough insulation in the attic or over the garage?
Is the furnace in good working order?
Is it time to re-caulk around windows and doors?

Another thing to consider should be the air quality in your home. Afterall, the windows will likely stay shut in most American homes from November to March. That means the air quality inside the home could get worse. The pet dander, dust mites, other allergens and smoke from the fireplace or elsewhere, will be trapped.

As you know, BEAM Central Vacuum Systrems improve indoor air quality by completely removing contacted dirt and allergens from the living area.

If you own a system there are a couple of things you should consider this fall to keep your central vacuum system at peak performance.

Empty the system's collection bucket. Doing so now will mean less frequent trips to a cold garage or basement this winter.

Clean the tubing system. Most BEAM dealers offer specially design cloths that remove dust residue from central vacuum inlet valves and tubing. Simply vacuum the cloth into the system and it will clean the tubing all the way to the collection bucket.