As the leaves begin to fall and the weather dips to cooler temperatures, it’s the perfect reminder to check out all the things that make your home safe and comfortable and prepare your home for the coming season.
We’ve compiled a handy fall home maintenance checklist for you with some tips on what to check and what to do to prepare your home for fall and the coming months:
1
With the cool temperatures, it’s easy to put your hand along windows and doors to check for any air or water leaks and seal them with caulking. Caulking both inside and outside is ideal and if you need help, there are painting and home repair crews who can refresh your door and window frames with paint and caulking at the same time!
2
Do you have a programmable thermostat to monitor the temperatures? It may be set for summer temps still so make sure it’s set for fall and winter comfort levels.
3
As the leaves fall, make sure your eaves are cleared of debris and inspect your roof for any damage caused by summer storms. If climbing a ladder isn’t your idea of fun, there are home maintenance companies that will come and clean out your eaves and report if there are sections of your roof that need repair by a roofing company.
4
Have your furnace serviced in preparation for winter. Call in a service company if it’s been a while since you’ve had a professional look at your furnace. Cleaning and replacing the filter in your furnace is a great way to keep it working efficiently too.
5
Since we tend to use lamps and room lighting more in the fall and winter, as the days get shorter, a great tip is to switch out as many lightbulbs as you can for energy saving ones.
6
Test smoke alarms and carbon dioxide detectors, and change the batteries. If you do this every time you change the clocks – twice a year – you will know that you have working detectors with new batteries. Safe as can be!
7
Winterize landscaping and remove leaves from your lawn and any drain covers at the end of your driveway. This will ensure that when the snow comes, it’s not piled ontop of leaves and can melt directly into the drain.
8
Drain exterior water lines and put away your hoses for the winter. This will ensure you don’t experience any frozen water lines and keep little critters from eating the garden hose you will need in the spring.
9
Check and repair any weather stripping on windows and doors. If you need to replace or install weather stripping, consulting an expert at a local home maintenance store is a great way to shop local and DIY this simple home maintenance project.
10
Decorate for the season! Whether it’s Halloween, Fall Harvest or the coming December holidays, get the entire family involved in dressing up your home – inside and out! Making the most of this season, creating new memories and having fun in your home is what it’s all about.
