• Clear all debris from your gutters, even if you have a covered gutter system. Any leaves or other materials left in the gutters can freeze and damage the gutters themselves, and could also force freezing water up under your shingles and damage the roof.

• Start the season with new wicks for your portable humidifier, and also check your air filters. In addition, be sure to clean the humidifier every few weeks throughout the winter to keep it free of mold, bacteria and mineral deposits.

• Protect your outdoor air conditioning unit from icicles and snow by placing a sheet of plywood over the top and draping a dropcloth over it. When doing so, don’t create a fully enclosed space, as that can trap moisture and offer a cozy winter home for rodents.

The signs have been there: record-low interest rates and reasonably priced homes. This week, the Wall Street Journal presents two factors that make now “an excellent time to buy a house.” First, the ratio of home prices to yearly rents is close to its pre-bubble average. Second, when mortgage rates are considered, houses are the most affordable they have been in decades.

The article goes on to explain that whether or not buying is a better deal than renting depends on the relationship between prices and rents, the cost of financing and other factors. The good news is that the numbers all seem to be heading in the right direction.

According to Moody’s Analytics, the nationwide ratio of home prices to yearly rents is 11.3, down from 18.5 at the peak of the bubble. With all things being equal, a lower ratio means buying is preferable to renting. Even though the price/rent ratio is not as low as it has been, house payments are more affordable than they have been in decades because mortgage interest rates are so low.

And, despite public opinions otherwise, mortgage money is available according to information in the article attributed to Stan Humphries, chief economist at Zillow, a home and real estate consumer website.

The article closes with this advice: “When prices are low, loans are cheap and plump investment yields are scarce, buyers should jump.”

According to the latest statistics, U.S. fire departments responded to 362,500 home fires in 2009, and these fires killed 2,565 people and injured 12,650. The good news is that escape planning, smoke alarms and home fire sprinklers can significantly reduce the risk to children and families.

Here are some ways you can protect your home and family from home fires:

• Develop a home fire escape plan and practice it. According to the NFPA, less than one-fourth of Americans have both developed and practiced a fire escape plan. A home fire can become life threatening more quickly than most people think, so knowing what to do if there is a fire will help everyone make it to safety in less time.

• Make sure you have at least one working smoke alarm on each level of your home, installed high on a wall or on a ceiling. Most importantly, make sure the batteries are working. In more than half of the reported home fires in which smoke alarms were present but did not operate, batteries were missing or disconnected.

• Consider installing a home fire sprinkler, which can contain and even extinguish a fire in less time than it would take the fire department to arrive on the scene. Because they react so quickly in a fire, sprinklers are highly effective in reducing the risk of death or injury from a fire by dramatically reducing heat, flames and smoke, and allowing people time to evacuate the home.

It was a busy week in real estate news with several reports being issued, and actions by the Federal Reserve to help stabilize the economy. With affordability at all-time highs due to record-low mortgage rates and attractive home prices, this is encouraging news for homebuyers and sellers.

First, the Commerce Department reported that permits for new construction increased 3.2 percent in August, offering a glimmer of light for the new-home market. A rising number of permits can be a forward-looking indicator of housing starts in coming months, and later in sales of new homes.

In addition, the National Association of Realtors said that existing-home sales increased in all regions in August, even despite regional disruptions created by Hurricane Irene. Overall, sales of existing homes increased 7.7 percent from July and were 18.6 percent higher than in August 2010.

This week, the Federal Reserve also announced Operation Twist, a program intended to spur lending, induce businesses to expand and tempt consumers into spending more. According to the Fed, the intended result is downward pressure on longer-term interest rates and broader financial conditions that are more accommodative. Economics are unpredictable, and while mortgage rates reacted to this news by moving lower, things can – and have – changed quickly.

For consumers looking to make a purchase or refinance, the opportunity to capitalize on historically low interest rates is right now.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, nationwide more than 7 billion gallons of water a day go to landscape irrigation. Aside from that being a lot of water, as much as half of it is wasted because it falls on sidewalks or evaporates into the air before it reaches the ground. Luckily, a few simple changes can help you save a precious resource and lower your bills.

HouseLogic recommends that homeowners think of the acronym DIRTS (drip irrigation, recapture, timers and sensors) in order to remember steps to take for saving water and money while still maintaining a great-looking yard:

• Drip irrigation systems are long, thin plastic tubes with small fittings that release water, allowing you to send water only where you need it. A new drip system costs around $200 for a whole yard, or you can convert your existing in-ground sprinkler system. The cost is well worth it: Going from sprinklers to drip irrigation can cut lawn water use by up to 50 percent.

• Recapturing rainwater allows you to irrigate at no cost. To harvest rainwater, place a simple plastic or wooden drum, with a spigot near the bottom where you can attach your hose, underneath a downspout. A 60-gallon barrel costs only $75 to $150, and one inch of rain on a 1,000-square-foot roof provides 600 gallons of runoff.

• Putting your irrigation system on a timer will keep water waste to a minimum and can also help you comply with any local watering restrictions. Timer kits range from the simple to more sophisticated ones with sensors that adjust the water flow based on how much rain has fallen.