Fall Home Maintenance Tips

Fall is the perfect time to complete some home repair projects as well as general maintenance. Autumn is just as critical for preparing your home to withstand the potentially harsh winter weather and temperature conditions that may await you. Making maintenance part of your annual fall routine can resolve potential problems before they arise, and help prepare your home and property for what Mother Nature has to offer.

1. Care for trees and shrubs.
If you have trees on your property, consider hiring an arborist to care for them — these pros can spot signs of poor health early on to prevent tree loss, and know how to prune properly to avoid falling limbs in winter storms.

2. Rake leaves.
Leaves look beautiful blanketing the ground, but leaving too many leaves on a lawn over winter in a snowy area can inhibit spring growth.

3. Clean gutters and downspouts.
Once most of the leaves have fallen, clean out gutters and downspouts. Clogged gutters during rainstorms can cause water to pool and damage your roof or siding.

4. Make exterior repairs.
Take a walk around your property, looking for signs of damage to the roof, siding and foundation.

5. Seal gaps where critters could enter.
Mice need only a tiny gap to be able to sneak into your house and with colder weather coming, all of those small animals out there will be looking for warm places to make a home.

7. Shut off exterior faucets and store hoses.
Protect your pipes from freezing temperatures by shutting off water to exterior faucets before the weather dips below freezing.

8. Add weatherstripping.
Weatherstripping applied around the frames of windows and doors helps boost winter warmth and cut energy costs. Add door sweeps to the base of drafty doors to keep heat in and cold air out.

9. Schedule a chimney cleaning and heating system maintenance.
Making sure your chimney and furnace or boiler are cleaned, maintained and in working order before you need to turn on the heat is an important safety measure.

Here are other home maintenance projects to consider this fall are as follows:

• Have your heating system cleaned and inspected annually by a qualified technician.

• Replace your furnace filter in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.

• Check gutters for damage and confirm they’re securely attached to the house.

• Clean gutters and downspouts to keep debris from accumulating. This is especially important during the fall season when leaves may collect in gutters.

• Check and repair caulking around doors and windows that show signs of deterioration.Check gutters for damage and confirm they’re securely attached to the house.

• Clean gutters and downspouts to keep debris from accumulating. This is especially important during the fall season when leaves may collect in gutters.

• Check and repair caulking around doors and windows that show signs of deterioration.

• Inspect your smoke detectors. Make sure you have a smoke detector in each bedroom or sleeping area and also, a smoke detector in the hallway outside each sleeping area.