Centennial SMARTS | September 9–15
This week’s edition moves from summer survival mode into smart fall preparation, with small jobs residents can tackle before Colorado’s first cold snap turns them into urgent ones.
Centennial SMARTS: Four Things to Do Before Colorado Decides It’s Winter
Save Time. Save Money. Live Better.
September in Centennial can be a meteorological grab bag. One afternoon feels like patio season, the next morning has you wondering where you stored the fleece.
That makes these early September weeks a particularly good time for a little preventive homeownership. Not a weekend-long renovation marathon. Just a few smart moves now that can save money, eliminate future scrambling and make your home work a little better heading into fall.
1. Give Your Heating System a Test Run Now
Waiting until the first genuinely cold morning to discover your furnace has an attitude is not an ideal autumn tradition.
Turn the heat on briefly and make sure the system starts normally. Listen for unusual sounds, check your filter and confirm that vents have not been blocked by furniture during the summer.
If your home could benefit from more substantial efficiency improvements, Arapahoe County offers a Weatherization Assistance Program for qualifying households. Services may include an energy audit, insulation, air-leak sealing, furnace and water-heater safety testing and, when eligible, equipment replacement. (Arapahoe County Files)
Learn about Arapahoe County Weatherization Assistance
SMARTS payoff: Catching a problem while it is still 70 degrees outside is much easier than solving it when the house is 55.
2. Don’t Shut Down the Sprinklers Just Yet
September does not automatically mean your landscape is finished needing water.
Instead, use the seasonal transition as an excuse to run each irrigation zone for a few minutes. Look for broken sprinkler heads, leaks, clogged emitters and water spraying sidewalks instead of landscaping.
Then begin adjusting watering based on cooler temperatures rather than simply continuing your July schedule.
A five-minute sprinkler inspection can prevent weeks of paying to irrigate the driveway. That is perhaps the least productive crop in Colorado.
3. Make the Garage Lose Its Summer Clutter
Before snow shovels, ice melt and holiday storage begin their annual migration toward the garage door, spend 20 minutes identifying old paint, lawn chemicals, automotive products, batteries and other hazardous materials you no longer need.
Centennial residents have access to household hazardous-waste collection resources, including Waste Management’s At Your Door Special Collection, which the City says currently requires a $20 co-pay. Eligible materials include paint products, garden chemicals, batteries, automotive products, electronics and other household chemicals. (Centennial, CO)
Explore Centennial’s Clean & Green resources
SMARTS payoff: Less clutter, safer storage and fewer mystery containers staring at you from the back shelf until 2031.
4. Make September Your Safety-Check Month
Pick a memorable month and make it your household reminder to test smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms, review your family escape plan and make sure everyone knows what the alarm sounds like.
South Metro Fire Rescue recommends maintaining working smoke alarms and practicing a home fire-escape plan at least twice each year. (South Metro Fire Rescue)
While you are at it, check flashlights, replace dead batteries and make sure your fire extinguisher is accessible rather than buried behind six Costco-sized packages of paper towels.
The Centennial SMARTS Rule: Do It Before It Becomes Urgent
The smartest home improvements are not always the expensive ones.
Sometimes they are the furnace filter changed before the first freeze, the sprinkler leak caught before another billing cycle, the garage shelf cleared before winter and the smoke alarm tested before it ever needs to do its job.
Save a little time. Save a little money. Live a little better.
That’s Centennial SMARTS.
34 Comments
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Never heard of the Weatherization Assistance Program until now. Hope it helps folks out. Good info.
Greg A.Same here, Greg. I hope more folks hear about it. Not everyone has the budget to update insulation or replace old furnaces.
We're glad the information was helpful! The Weatherization Assistance Program can make a real difference, especially as colder weather approaches.
I’m always surprised how much stuff builds up in my garage over the summer. The hazardous waste pickup made it way less stressful to get rid of it all.
Joe ParksRight? My garage always turns into a dumping ground all summer. The special collection pickup made it less overwhelming for sure.
I set our family escape plan every fall after seeing one too many news stories. It’s 5 minutes so worth it.
That's a great routine, and you're exactly right, a few minutes spent on a family escape plan can make all the difference in an emergency.
Love these bite-size tips, not some overwhelming house overhaul. Easy to get started!
I always thought shutting off sprinklers early was smart, but guess not if we’re still getting 90-degree days.
This is the gentle nudge I needed for garage cleanup. Those old cans and bottles aren’t going to move themselves!
Bella.ZeeI’ve been putting it off too, Bella. Once the snow comes, I regret not clearing out the junk. Maybe this weekend!
Does anyone know if the city waste collection takes old electronics like VCRs? Got a pile from the basement purge.
Sean D.Yeah, Sean, the city collection does take electronics as long as you set up the pickup in advance. I got rid of an old TV and some printers that way last fall.
If you have older relatives, definitely check their smoke and CO alarms. Had an issue at my mom’s place last year and it could’ve been bad.
Nice one about moving stuff in the garage. I always end up looking for the snow shovel under summer chairs when it’s already snowing.
So true, the earlier you clear that summer clutter, the easier it is to grab those winter essentials right when you need them! Thanks for sharing your experience.
Wish my landlord would actually care enough to do any of these. Renters get the cold surprise first!
Honestly, the five-minute sprinkler check saves me more than once. Last year found a broken head before it froze!
Susan L.Same here, Susan. I always think the check will be pointless but it’s saved my garden a couple times. Nice to catch problems early.
Exactly, that quick look-over can prevent a small problem from turning into a big headache, especially with Colorado's unpredictable fall freezes.
Not sure if I’m ready to let go of patio season, but I guess I’ll dust off the furnace anyway. Good checklist.
My kids love to press the smoke alarm just to hear it, ha. At least I know the battery’s working.
Question, do you have to sign up for the hazardous waste pickup or do they just stop by? Never done it before.
We tried the At Your Door collection for old paint cans last year and it was super easy. Highly recommend if you want to clear stuff out.
The hot/cold swings lately are wild. Good idea to stay ahead of the furnace issues while it’s still nice out.
Ben O.Tell me about it. I keep thinking it’s finally fall, then we get a 90-degree day. Glad I tested my heater early this year.
Testing smoke alarms is the thing I always mean to do. Going to put a reminder in my phone for every September.
It’s amazing how quickly Colorado weather switches on us. I always get caught off guard so this is helpful, thanks.
You reminded me I’ve been watering way too much in September. Gonna set my sprinkler timer back a bit.
Jyoti S.I hear you! I was still running my system as if it was July. It’s wild how much less water the lawn needs in September.
My garage is a disaster after summer. Thanks for the push. Anybody tried the city’s hazardous waste pickup? Is it worth the 20 bucks?
Didn’t know you could get help from the county for weatherization. Might be time to look into that for my parents’ house.
Lisa Q.Worth checking out, Lisa. My neighbor did the program and said it helped cut their bills a lot. Good for older homes especially.
Every year I forget to change the furnace filter till the heat smells funny. Guess I’ll get on that this weekend!