Fall Home Maintenance Tips
Fall is a great time to get outside and enjoy the crisp mornings and cool nights. While most fall weekends will be filled with football, the World Series, turkey and pumpkin spice everything, don’t neglect these important home maintenance jobs.
Clean your gutters and downspouts
This is a crucial fall maintenance job. You don’t want blocked gutters and downspouts when the snow starts to fly!
Trim trees and bushes
If they are too close to the house, trim them back. Fall is a good time to take stock of the landscaping around your house. Branches too close to the house can cause damage in a storm, and vegetation too close is an insect magnet! Fall is also a great time to plant.
Service your HVAC in preparation for Winter
You haven’t used your heater for months, and you don’t want to find out there’s a problem when it starts getting cold.
Check caulking and weather stripping
Take time this fall to check windows and doors and make repairs accordingly. Your energy bill will thank you!
Declutter
Something that should be an on-going project. If you have a garage, now is the time to declutter it and make room for the car. You’ll be glad you did when the temps start dropping and the snow is falling.
Clean the dryer vents
Lint buildup in dryer vents can make your dryer work less efficiently and even cause a fire. Cool, dry fall weather increases static electricity, which can ignite lint that has built up – so now is the time to get the lint out!
Check smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors
Test and replace batteries as needed. Check expiration dates on fire extinguishers, too, and replace as needed.