Fall Home Maintenance List
Oh yes it’s finally fall! Time to break out the sweaters and hot cocoa since it won’t be long until that nasty, cold white stuff starts falling from the sky. Before it gets really cold you should think about prepping for the winter months.
Roof & Gutters:
Get on your roof 2–3 times during the fall to clear away any leaves or sticks that might have been trapped in a valley or other area where the wind doesn’t frequently blow. Any organic material left on a roof too long will likely shorten the lifespan of the shingles. While you are up there make sure you clean around any second story windows and check the caulk around the J-channel. Also check the flashing's around any vents or along dormers or in valleys. Last but not least, clean your gutters and make sure they are firmly attached to the fascia. Snow and ice will put alot of weight on gutters and it won’t take too much to have a gutter fall if they are not secured. Also check to make sure no water is coming down behind your gutters.
Vegetation:
So we all know pretty much everything stops growing this time of year. Take advantage of the opportunity to trim your hedges, prune flowers, pull weeds and obviously rake the leaves! Its also a great time to fertilize and reseed your lawn. Fall is also the perfect time to identify and trim any dead tree branches or remove any dead trees. Just remember if you remove a tree from near your home tell your insurance carrier. You may see a small discount for removing a potential hazard! Power wash, power wash, power wash! I can’t say this enough. I think almost every home needs at least a few items to be power washed once or even better twice a year. If you haven’t done it in a while you will be shocked how much better everything looks. Your home has had months (years for some of you) to grow moss, collect dirt and fade.
Windows & Doors:
Most people might not think about their windows and doors when preparing for winter. As the most common and largest place air enters a home it should be number one on your to-do list this fall. As the weather gets colder you might feel a draft entering around windows and doors. If this is the case pick up can or two of expanding foam at your nearest hardware store. Carefully remove the interior trim and spray in the foam around the window/door. Replace the trim, putty holes and repaint the trim. That should take care of any drafts for years. Also remove summer screens to cool weather storm windows. But even after that there are thinks you still want to check every year. If you are like me you don’t open every window frequently, heck some you might never open. Make sure all windows are operational, they lock and if on a second story you have an escape ladder. Also check the seals on the bottom of exterior doors. Over time the rubber can peel off and they no longer stop all drafts. Many hardware stores can carry replacement pieces. Its also a good time to make sure all door handles are tight.
Inside your home:
And here you thought you were all done preparing for whatever nasty surprise mother nature could throw at you this year! For your central air unit—do NOT cover it for the winter. If you do wish to do something place a piece of plywood on top with a brick or two to hold it down. Central air units need to breath and covering with any sort of material will shorten the lifespan of the unit by not allowing moisture to escape. Consider having an HVAC company do a checkup on your furnace before its needed full time. And now would be a good time to make sure the filter is changed. (Should be changed monthly or bi-monthly) Also consider having a duct cleaning service clean out your duct work. The last thing anyone wants during the winter is pipes bursting. Make sure you insulate any pipes that might be a potential problem. Locate your main water shutoff and make sure everyone in the house knows where its located as well. Now that its cooler getting into your attic isn’t as miserably as it would have been in July or August. One thing to check for is that your insulation doesn’t cover the vents in the eaves. Proper air flow will mitigate the chances of ice dams. Also check your ridge vents and bird/rodent screens.
The last but most important step!
Nothing is better than a nice warm fire in the fireplace on a cold winter night. Just make sure that fire stays there! Home fires caused by issues or neglect of fireplaces are easily in the top ten causes of fires annually. This is the one tip you SHOULD NOT do yourself. Hire a professional chimney company to come inspect, clean and repair your fireplace EVERY season! A house fire is the last thing you want to deal with and in may cases its avoidable.