Fall Home Maintenance Suggestions
Tis the season for pumpkin spice lattes, football games… and basic home maintenance? Yes! As the fall continues to creep in, there is basic home maintenance that will help you keep your house in tip-top shape. Realty Times suggests the following
- 1. Prepare your mower for its winter rest. Before saying goodbye to your lawn mower for the winter season, there are a few things you should consider: sharpen the blade of your lawn mower to ensure that it is in tip-top shape for the spring; empty your gas tank before putting your lawn mower to rest.
2. Perform an energy audit. This will tell you where heat is escaping, so you can correct the problem and save money on utilities. Make a list of all air leaks in your home by seeing where there are draft then apply caulk or weather stripping. Potential energy savings by detecting and fixing drafts can range from 5 percent to 30 percent and will make your home much more comfortable.
3. Install storm windows before it gets too cold. Find a good storage space for your screens so they do not get damaged over the winter months. Clean them and have repairs done - do repairs yourself or take advantage of neighborhood hardware stores' reasonable prices. (I haven't checked Pittsburgh prices - I paid $8 each to have 48" x 72" screens put into existing frames for my house in Texas. I was also able to select a lighter color screen which made the house a little brighter.)
4. Check your furnace. Home heating systems that aren’t properly maintained may be less than 50 percent efficient. A dirty filter will increase your heating costs and reduce the life of your equipment. Check your filter once a month and replace or clean if necessary. You can also have a professional take a look and perform any adjustments to your furnace - many companies offer reasonable seasonal check-ups in the hopes that you'll use them when you need a major repair.
5. Install gutter guards. Homeowners often overlook the importance of gutters, but they protect your home by diverting rain water safely away from your home. Gutter cleaning is a temporary solution to a permanent problem, but it is important to keep your gutters clear and clean in order to prevent foundation and structural issues. If neglected long enough, these types of concerns can be serious and costly. One way to combat clogged gutters and eliminate gutter cleaning is to have gutter guards professionally installed to your home.
6. Maintain your home’s exterior. Trim back trees and branches that are hanging too close. Fall and winter are known for unexpected weather conditions, so it is important to prevent any type of debris from falling on your home and producing serious damage. Seal driveways, brick patios and wood decks - this should prevent weed growth, repel stains, and increase the longevity of these areas.
7. Chimney and fireplace. You’ll want to call in a professional to inspect and clean your chimney. Annual cleaning of your chimney is important to prevent dangerous chimney fires. Test your fireplace flue to ensure that it is tightly sealed when closed.
8. Test smoke/carbon dioxide detectors. This is a simple but often forgotten chore. Detectors should have a “test” button. If the alarm sounds, you’re good to go. If not, try replacing the batteries and test again. If the alarm still doesn’t fire, you may need a new detector. Testing these systems is a quick, but very important quarterly test to perform.
Taking these steps will not only lower your utility costs, they should protect your largest investment, your home, from the unexpected weather conditions ahead.
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