Labor Day is coming up this weekend and, in just a few short weeks, summer will be over.

And with things cooling down, now may be good time to think about the cold months down the road.

It is a good time to take those steps for winter weather that may be needed later.

Take a look around the house and yard, and tend to overhanging branches that could become overloaded in the snow.

Make arrangements to clear out rain gutters, especially after leaves fall in autumn.

Look into the crawl space and wrap exposed pipes now, to save yourself the headache of having to go under there in the cold to repair a burst.

And, while you’re at it, the coming weeks are a good time to look into your vehicle. 

A good service visit to have brakes, tires, spark plugs and the battery checked could go a long way to avoid a breakdown or start-up issues in frigid conditions. 

And avoid the rush later and look into stocking up on items like de-icer and sidewalk salt now, while demand is low.

The same goes for propane heaters and other emergency supplies.

As the saying goes, “fix your roof while the sun I shining” and, while there is still seasonal weather, the next few months are a prime opportunity to take care of these matters.