As much as we hate to admit it, the warm days have gone and fall is upon us. While the temperatures are still tolerable, now is the best time to prep your house for cooler days (rain, sleet, and – yes – snow). We know how quickly the weather can change, so get out there and use this maintenance checklist
Exterior List
Number one on the list should be a roof check. Grab some
binoculars if you can’t see well enough from the ground and a trip up is out of
the question. While you’re out there, do
a perimeter check of all siding. Look for cracks and holes and repair the
damages you see (or hire a contractor to help you out).
If you have a chimney or fireplace, have them inspected and
cleaned. The same goes for your gutters. Fallen leaves from trees can build up
and cause major backups when the rain and snow (there’s that S word again!)
comes.
They’re a pain to wind up and store, but you should really
stow away your sprinklers and hoses. Make sure they’re not full of water first,
and toss them in the garage until next year.
It’s important to take a look at your landscaping, too.
Loose branches on trees can cause serious damage if they fall around (or on)
your home, and piles of leaves can cause outside mold very quickly.
Interior List
Check for drafts around your home on the edges of windows
and around doors. Can’t tell if there’s a draft? Grab a candle and run the
flame around the window or door and if it flickers, there’s a good chance you
need to replace a seal or repair caulking.
Hire an HVAC contractor to test your furnace for leaks and
check heading efficiency. The last thing you need is for your furnace to need a
tune-up when it gets really cold. It’s a good idea to run a CO2 check at the
same time.
Invest in a programmable thermostat if you do not have one
already. When you’re not home, set the temperature lower so you can save money
on energy bills.
Stock up on batteries and replace all batteries in smoke
detectors and CO2 devices and make sure they work properly.
