5 Tips to Prep Your Home for Fall This Weekend
It’s time to get your home ready for cooler temps and falling leaves!
As you may have already heard, it’s the 1st day of Fall! But before you break out the flannel and pumpkins, a few things need to be done. Whether you do these yourself or hire them out, you’ll be saving money in the long run thanks to the steps you’ve taken to prevent damage to your home.
Winterize Outdoor Spigots and Sprinklers
Preventing damage to water lines is usually the first thing people think of when they hear the term ‘winterizing’ – and for good reason!
You can protect your pipes against freezing temps quickly and easily all while helping to avoid some very expensive mishaps.
For faucets and spigots, shut off the water supply, drain, and cover with a faucet sock or styrofoam cover.
Winterizing a sprinkler system requires a compressor to blow out excess water that may be sitting in your pipes once the water supply has been turned off, so it may be best to leave that to the professionals!
Gutter Cleanout
Get ahead of the leaves by cleaning out your gutters now! Once you’re done, place mesh gutter guards to ward off debris from building up in the future! By keeping your gutters clean, you can ensure that water will run away from your home instead of backing up into it.
Roof Checkup
A leaky roof is every homeowner’s nightmare! Get ahead of a potential disaster by checking your roof for damage. Some things to look for are missing or damaged singles and damage to the metal flashing surrounding vents and chimneys.
Furnace Maintenance
Make sure your furnace is running top notch! You should have a furnace inspection done every year – and sooner rather than later! This will give you time to make any needed repairs before the temps start dropping.
Fireplace Inspection
If you own a home with a wood burning fireplace, you may already know how important it is to keep it maintained. Regular inspections of your flue and chimney during the winter months can help avoid things like smoke damage and fire. An experienced chimney sweep can resolve any issues you may find during inspection. A few things to look for are blockages and creosote buildup in the flue. Checking for chimney damage can also be done when inspecting your roof.
Once you’ve checked these off your list, you can spend the rest of your weekends this autumn watching football, going to the pumpkin patch, or just relaxing! Being a homeowner isn’t always glamorous, but we think you’re doing a great job.
Got questions? Let us know in the comments!