Colorado fall has a peculiar sense of timing.
The patio furniture is still out. The tomatoes are still trying. The afternoon temperature says summer. Meanwhile, somewhere in the distance, winter is quietly sharpening its pencils.
That makes mid-September one of the best times for Centennial homeowners to tackle a few small preventive jobs before they become cold-weather chores.
No major renovation required. Give yourself 20 minutes per project and start here.
1. Turn Yard Cleanup Into Free Mulch
Have branches, dead shrubs or storm-damaged limbs hanging around the yard?
Centennial’s Chip and Mulch event returns Saturday, September 19, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Centennial Public Works Facility, 7272 S. Eagle Street.
Centennial residents can drop off eligible tree limbs, branches, firewood, logs under 10 inches in diameter and dead shrubs for free recycling. Free mulch will also be available while supplies last.
That creates a tidy little SMARTS trifecta:
Clear the yard. Avoid disposal costs. Bring home useful mulch.
Centennial Chip and Mulch information
2. Find the Draft Before You Pay to Heat It
You do not need fancy equipment for a quick door-and-window inspection.
Stand near exterior doors and windows and look for worn weatherstripping, visible gaps or places where the seal no longer sits snugly. Check the door sweep at exterior doors, too.
A few dollars spent on weatherstripping or caulk now may help keep heated air inside later.
And remember the Centennial SMARTS philosophy: do not automatically replace something that can be repaired, adjusted or sealed.
The least expensive home improvement is often the one that prevents the expensive one.
3. Look Up Before the Leaves Come Down
Gutters are easy to forget when the trees are still mostly green.
Now is the time to check whether gutters are already holding pine needles, roof debris or last season’s leftovers. Also look at your downspouts.
Are they firmly attached?
Is water being directed away from the foundation?
Are extensions crushed, missing or pointing toward a walkway where water could eventually freeze?
You do not necessarily need to clean everything this week. The SMART move is identifying what needs attention before thousands of autumn leaves volunteer for gutter duty.
4. Give Your Outdoor Water Setup a Fall Plan
We are not shutting everything down yet, but now is a great time to know what needs to happen later.
Locate outdoor hose connections. Check hoses and fittings for leaks. Identify exposed pipes that may need protection and determine who will winterize your sprinkler system if you do not do it yourself.
If you normally hire someone for sprinkler blowout service, consider scheduling before the first hard-freeze panic fills everyone’s calendar.
Future You will be delighted that September You handled it.
BONUS SMART: Put October 3 on the Calendar
Got an aging laptop, monitor or other electronics occupying valuable real estate in a closet?
Centennial is planning a fall electronics recycling event on Saturday, October 3, 2026. The City notes that Colorado law prohibits disposing of items such as televisions and computers in household trash.
So instead of moving that obsolete computer from one shelf to another for its annual migration, create an October 3 recycling pile now.
Centennial recycling information
One Hour Now Can Buy Back a Weekend Later
You do not need to finish the entire fall checklist this week.
Clear some branches. Check one door. Inspect the gutters. Make the sprinkler appointment. Put electronics recycling on the calendar.
Small maintenance done early has a lovely habit of preventing large maintenance done urgently.
Save time. Save money. Live better.
That’s Centennial SMARTS.
27 Comments
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You always think you’ve got time until the first icy morning. Ticking some of these off early makes life so much easier.
Absolutely, taking care of these tasks ahead of time definitely pays off once those chilly mornings arrive. Thanks for reading and sharing your experience!
Anyone had luck winterizing sprinklers themselves? Not sure if I want to risk it or just call a pro this time.
Window draft test with a candle or tissue is my go-to. Easy and cheap, catches those small leaks pretty quick.
Used the mulch giveaway last fall and my yard actually looked better come spring. Highly recommend it.
It’d be nice if they set up a branch pick up in each neighborhood instead of just one location. Not everyone has a truck.
I never noticed how early frost sneaks in here. Gonna tie up those yard projects while it’s still t-shirt weather.
Wish there was a way to recycle old paint cans at the October event too. Anyone know what to do with those?
I’d add: check your furnace filter, too! Makes a difference in fall/winter. Learned that the hard way last year.
Michelle Y.Great tip, Michelle! I always forget about the filter until my furnace starts wheezing. Swapping it out really helps with air flow and gets rid of all the dust, too.
Love these tips. ‘Future You will be delighted’ feels very true haha. On my to-do for this weekend: check the door seals!
Definitely guilty of forgetting about my hoses until the first hard freeze. Gonna prep now to avoid that scramble.
Is the Chip and Mulch event open to folks outside city limits or just Centennial residents? Anyone know?
October 3 marked for electronics! Moved the same old VCR around for about 10 years now, time for it to go.
My neighbor’s downspout froze last year and cracked. Checking mine now. Thanks for the reminder!
Solid advice about sealing instead of replacing. I always think I have to buy new everything, but a little caulk goes a long way.
Thank you! It’s amazing how small repairs like sealing and caulking can save money and hassle, sometimes the simplest fix is the smartest one.
Does anyone know if the mulch at the event runs out quick? Never tried it before but want to snag some for my yard.
Great checklist. For anyone new to Centennial, scheduling your sprinkler blowout early is a must. Blows my mind how fast those companies book up.
Excellent tip! Making that early appointment for sprinkler blowout can really save a lot of cold-weather stress, thanks for emphasizing it to new residents.
Not gonna lie, I always put the gutter thing off way too long. Maybe this is the year I finally get ahead of those leaves!
Wish they’d let us drop off larger logs at the Chip and Mulch… I’ve got a couple from last month’s storm that won’t fit the 10 inch rule.
Glad to see the city doing these events again. The mulch I got last year really helped my garden beds through the winter.
We’re glad you found the mulch event useful, and it’s great to hear it helped your garden beds over the winter. Hope this year’s event is just as beneficial!
It’s funny how summer hangs on here, but winter shows up out of nowhere. I’ll be checking those drafty windows this weekend, last year my heating bill was awful.
The electronics recycling event is a lifesaver. My garage is basically a graveyard for old laptops. Thanks for the date!
I always forget about the free mulch event until it's too late. Appreciate the heads up, definitely adding it to my phone so I don’t miss out again.