As summer comes to an end and the cooler weather approaches, now is the perfect time to prepare your home for fall. Get your home ready for fall with our comprehensive maintenance checklist so that you can enjoy a stress-free season knowing your home is well-prepared for the colder months ahead.
Check Your Detectors
Colder weather means the furnace will be turned on, portable heaters will be run, and windows typically stay closed. Now is the time to check your smoke and CO detectors and if necessary, replace them. Smoke detectors are usually good for about ten years, while CO detectors should be replaced every five to seven years.
Prep Your Lawn
Before the snow flies, first rake up and get rid of all those dead leaves. If not, they will become soggy mats in the spring and suffocate the grass that is just starting to emerge. Then, set your mower to cut your grass short—roughly 1-1/2 or 2 inches—for this one-time event each year. It will lessen the likelihood of snow mold developing in colder climates. Tall grass blades also resist sagging and suffocating the incoming spring growth.
Change the Furnace Filter
One of the simplest things you can do to maintain the condition of your furnace is to change the filter. Make sure you have a new one before turning on your furnace for the first time if you haven’t changed it in a while.
Clean Your Gutters
To guarantee adequate drainage away from your house and its foundation, clean your gutters twice a year. By checking your gutters, you can make sure they’re functioning correctly all year round. To access your gutters, you’ll probably need an extension ladder, depending on how tall your house is.
Ice dams are a result of clogged rain gutters and can require costly repairs. Clean your gutters to get rid of leaves, twigs, and muck after the leaves have fallen. Verify that the gutters are not drooping and accumulating water; tighten the downspout brackets and gutter hangers. Replace any gutters and downspouts that are worn out or broken.
If you discover colored silt from asphalt roof shingles in your gutters, be warned. The grit, which resembles sand, shields shingles from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Keep an eye out for additional indications of roof deterioration. It might be time to get your roof replaced.
Store Your Hoses
Garden hoses should be taken out of outdoor taps. Water can back up in the plumbing pipes just within your outside walls and in the faucets if hoses are left attached. That water could freeze, expand, and shatter the pipes or faucet if below-freezing temperatures occur. Prioritize this in the early fall to avoid harm from an unexpected cold snap.
Prune The Plants
When the summer growth cycle has concluded, late fall is the ideal time to prune trees and plants. The idea is to keep branches and limbs at least three feet away from your house to avoid rainwater dripping into your siding and roofing and to shield the outside of your home from harm during strong winds.
Water The Lawn
Even though the leaves are changing and the growing season is coming to an end,, your lawn still needs watering. Watering your grass in the fall gives it more energy to withstand the rigors of summer and prepare it for winter. In addition, irrigation is required for fertilizer that is applied in the fall to dissolve and seep into the soil.
Prepare For Snow
Spend a few minutes assessing your property before the snow falls and you need to get out your snowblower. Take out the yard hoses, extension cords, dog tie-out cables, and holiday light cords. Next, mark out pathways that pass close to gardens with stakes to prevent inadvertently snagging pebbles and garden edging. Driveway markers can be installed to indicate the boundaries of your path and driveway. Simply use your battery-operated drill and a masonry bit to drill a hole if the ground is frozen.
Are you looking to enter the real estate market this fall? Give us a call today! One of the experienced agents at Zoocasa will be more than happy to help you through the exciting home-buying process!
