20 Sep Fall Home Maintenance
As much as we all love just throwing up some fall decorations and laying under a cozy blanket with a pumpkin spice candle, there are some more important preparations you have to take for the fall season. When transitioning into the new season there are some things that you should check off your list before the cold winter days come. Follow this list to have your house ready in no time!
Clean or Replace Your Gutters
Making sure to clean the gutters is major especially during the fall. All those leaves falling end up on your roof and can easily clog those gutters. When your gutters get clogged it can cause a flooded interior along with a damaged exterior.
Check for Drafts
Heat loss through windows is responsible for 25-30 percent of heating energy use. But it doesn’t have to be that way, because all you have to do to fix it is throw some weatherstripping to block the airway. It is the most simple and cost-effective way to keep heating costs down and the temperatures up!
Drain Your Outdoor Faucets
Drain and disconnect all garden hoses from outside spigots t prevent any water freezing. this is important because if not done it can result in pipes bursting.
Bring Your Outdoor Furniture Inside
Although your outdoor furniture says it is safe for the outdoors, it does not mean that it will survive through hurricane-like water and other storms. It can cost a lot of money and time to set your outdoor space up, so if you want that furniture to last longer it is best to store it in a shed or garage.
Fill Any Cracks in Your Driveway
Although it may seem tedious, this annoying job will save you a lot of trouble in the future. When water gets into those cracks it will freeze and expand, making those cracks even bigger. Eventually, after all those small cracks expand the concrete will start to crumble. Using a concrete filler will stop this from happening so you don’t have an even bigger job to fix in the future.
Change Your Filters
Another thing in your house that might be causing you more money than it should be is your filters. If your filters are clogged, it is harder to keep your home temperatures where you want them to be. This means you’re heating bills will increase. If you clean the filters monthly that is even better. Also, disposable filters can be vacuumed one time before you replace them and foam filters can just be vacuumed and not replaced.
Fertilize your lawn
If you care to keep your lawn looking good in the fall and the summer you need to prep it for the fall and winter. Roots are stive active when the grass isn’t growing, so applying fertilizer will prevent winter damage. Doing this will not only protect your lawn but it will also help it turn green faster when spring comes around.
Test Winter Equipment
Preparing for the fall also means getting ready for winter. Testing your winter equipment before winter comes will save you a lot of inconveniences. You don’t want to be standing outside in the freezing testing your equipment. Let’s say it’s a snowy winter day and you are late for work but you can get out of your driveway without snow blowing a pathway first. Then… your snowblower doesn’t turn on! This is why you should test in the fall.
Change Your Batteries
Once a year you should be checking to make sure all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide devices are working. This includes flashlights so that if you lose power you are ready. This is important so that you are always prepared for the worst.
No Comments