Fall Home Maintenance
Fall is upon us and we all know what that means: winter is around the corner. Here are some helpful fall home maintenance tips to help you prepare your home during fall for the winter months ahead.
Outdoors
Home inspection.
Walk around the outside of your home. Check for any cracks or gaps in the walls that will need to be sealed to prevent drafts or rodent entry into your home. Add weatherstripping to your windows and doors; don’t forget the garage car- and human-doors. If you haven’t already done so, remove any window air conditioning units.
Clean gutters and downspouts and check for any damage. Have someone check out the condition of your roof. Are there any areas that are a small problem now that could become worse under adverse winter conditions? Prevention now will save you money in the long term.
Trees.
Check on the health of your trees. Are there any that are sick and need to be pruned or cut down before they fall down, causing damage to your property or injuries to your loved ones? Now is the perfect time to take care of them.
Sprinklers.
As the first frost comes, it is time to shut off irrigation lines, empty them out, and store them away. If you have an in-ground system, it will need to be blown out. Hoses should be drained, rolled up, and stored indoors. This will save them from freezing and bursting, and save you from having to pay to replace them next year.
Winter tools.
Have your snow blower serviced and / or check that your shovel is in good repair so they can perform their duties without mishap. Do you need to purchase a better item to make snow removal easier? Or is it time to hire someone else to do this work for you?
Pathways.
Look to see the paths that you, family, and friends will traverse to and from your home during the winter. Imagine clearing those paths during the winter from snow and ice. Are there any areas that could be a problem when covered in ice? Create a fall home maintenance plan to manage these areas or avoid them completely for everyone’s safety.
Indoors
Fire safety.
Schedule a chimney cleaning or heating maintenance check and have your furnace filter changed. If you have a stove, what state is the chimney cap in? If it is damaged or missing, replace it to prevent unexpected wild animals dropping in unannounced.
Test the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and replace as necessary. Check the expiration date on your fire extinguishers. Do they need to be replaced? Are they in a location that is easily accessible or would you have to pass the fire to get to them?
In case of power outage, know where your candles and matches or lighters are located.
Clean the dryer vents to prevent lint buildup.
Kitchen.
Clean the outside of your fridge. It has worked hard all summer to keep your food cold and will need to have the condensation pan cleaned out, plus dust removed from the coils to help it continue to function at peak performance.
Clean your oven and small appliances as you will probably be using them more during the winter months.
Miscellaneous.
Now is the time to stock up on winter supplies: wood, ice melt, emergency kits for home and automobile, food, and pet supplies. Don’t wait until you have run out of these items, as you may find it difficult to get to the store or others may have already bought out the supplies you need.
Insurance.
Now is a great time to go through your insurance policy and make sure it’s going to be enough to cover your home in an emergency. If you’re like most people, you probably haven’t even looked at it since you purchased your home. We can help. Give us a call or contact us here. We can help you figure out which policy will cover your home and help prepare you for the unpredictable.