Fall is the perfect time to tackle a few home maintenance tasks. This will prep your home for the colder months ahead and help prevent annoying issues from popping up next spring.
Drain outdoor faucets and switch off valves
Once the freezing weather sets in, leftover water in pipes can freeze, expand, and damage pipes in your home. You can prevent pipes from bursting by disconnecting your garden hose from outdoor spigots and switching off all valves to exterior hose bibs. Afterwards, remember to run the spout to completely drain all the water from the pipes.
Clean gutters and downspouts
Clogged gutters and downspouts will cause water to overflow and accumulate on your roof, resulting in water damage that can be extremely costly and time-consuming to repair.
As you clean the gutters, check for cracks and missing shingles. Colder temperatures will only make these problems worse, so ask a professional to take a look to prevent further damage.
Maintain your walkways
Fall is the perfect time to maintain your home’s exterior walkways. Give them a thorough pressure wash to clear dirt and debris, and then apply a fresh seal coat to protect the cement. The seal coat will fill in any cracks in the cement, preventing water from getting into them and freezing in the winter.
Seal exterior air leaks
Shielding your walls from moisture is one of the most important (and one of the least expensive) fall maintenance chores. All you’ll need are a few tubes of exterior caulk, which costs about $8 for every 10 oz. tube.
Walk around your home’s exterior and apply caulk to any cracks you spot in your door and window frames, between the trim and siding, and in areas where wires and pipes enter your home. Make sure you do this on a warm day to allow the caulk to flow more easily into cracks. Don’t forget to select caulk that matches the paint.
Have your heating system serviced
Make it a point to have your home’s heating system serviced every fall to ensure it stays on tip-top condition especially as the colder months creep in. This will save you from running into any major problems during the winter when heating is most needed.
You can also perform the following tasks:
- Power down your heating system
- Clear debris from the air ducts, fan grills, and area surrounding the unit
- Replace the fan belt if it’s cracked or worn-out
- Clean residue buildup inside the unit
- Listen for any unusual sounds after inspecting
Prune trees and plants
Prepare your plants and trees for the summer growth cycle by pruning them around late fall. Try to maintain a distance of three feet between limbs and branches from your house to prevent moisture from dripping onto the roof and siding, as well as potential damage due to strong winds.
For more helpful home improvement tips, check out our previous blogs here.
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