Hello, fall! Summer was everything you hoped it would be. However, those long, lazy days are growing shorter as fall arrives. To help you ensure your home is ready for the colder temps ahead, here’s how to get your house ready for fall.
Clean out your gutters
Once most of the leaves have fallen for the season, scoop them out of your gutters and into a bucket. Cleaning your gutters prevents them from flooding or collapsing. Use a garden hose to wash the smaller debris toward the drain outlet.
Check your outdoor lighting
If you have outdoor lighting, now is the time to test it. Replace bulbs if necessary. Winter days are darker and shorter, and this is when we rely more on dependable outdoor lights. Check your front porch, back porch, garage lights and any landscape lighting you might have.
Trim trees and shrubs
Late fall is an ideal time to prune plants and trees around your home’s exterior. Keep branches about three feet from your house to prevent moisture from dripping onto your roof or siding.
Aerate your soil
Grass grows slower in cool temperatures. Aerating helps your lawn by loosening the soil so it absorbs water and nutrients.
Protect your pipes
Foam or rubber pipe insulation is a great and safe way to prevent your pipes from freezing and very easy to apply.
Seal air leaks in your windows
Replace caulking on the inside and outside of your windows and replace if necessary to keep air leaks to a minimum this winter.
Insulate your attic
Insulating your attic will help it retain the warmth generated by your heating system throughout the winter. As an added bonus, insulation will also help your energy bills stay low during colder months.
Maintain the heating system
Test your heater to make sure it’s in good condition and replace the filters — dirty or clogged filters can prevent airflow.
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Clean the chimney
The best time to clean your chimney is right before the temperature starts to drop.
Test smoke alarms and fire extinguishers
Make sure smoke alarms are installed on every level of your house and outside each bedroom. Test them monthly and replace the batteries once a year. Check the expiration date on your fire extinguisher and replace it if needed.
Test for radon
If you haven’t checked your home for radon, fall is a good time to do so — as the weather gets cooler and windows stay shut more often, radon is more likely to become trapped in your home. Radon at high enough levels is harmful, so if you find that your home has radon hire a contractor qualified to fix radon issues.
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Relax and enjoy
Now that you’ve completed your September Home Maintenance Checklist, kick back, relax, and enjoy the crisp days that only fall can bring.