If spring is the time for cleaning, fall is the time for maintenance. But there are lots of things homeowners forget to do and mistakes that are made once autumn comes around.
Here are 22 fall maintenance tips every homeowner should take care of:
It’s best to fill sidewalk cracks in the fall because melted snow can seep into these cracks in the winter and freeze over. This causes your cracks to expand and heave your sidewalk concrete. You should fill your sidewalk cracks when its above 50 degrees. If you do it when it’s too cold your concrete sealant won’t adhere correctly which can cause leaks and cracks.
2) Test Your Carpet Cleaner
You’ll want to clean your carpets in the fall to get rid of all the grime and build up that occurred over the summer. It’s still warm enough in the fall to leave your windows open so that your carpets can dry faster. Before you do this you’ll want to test your carpet cleaner on a small patch to make sure that it doesn’t discolor or damage your rug.
3) Clear Leaves From the Gutters
When the leaves start falling they can end up clogging your gutters. When the weather gets colder this build up can freeze solid and destroy your gutters and potentially do damage to your home. So, you’ll want to unclog these gutters once the leaves have fallen.
4) Switch Out Your Light Bulbs
Since there is less light during the winter, your lights will be on longer. Make sure you switch out your light bulbs to energy-efficient ones to reduce your electric bill.
5) Turn Your Sprinklers On At the Proper Time
Your lawn still needs water during the fall to be lush and healthy. So, you don’t want to turn off your sprinklers too early. Wait until the first weather report of a freezing temperatures before you turn them off.
6) Clean With Water Pressure
The siding of your home can become covered with grime and bugs after a long summer. So, you’ll want to get it completely clean with a water pressure. You just have to make sure that your machine has a wide spray and its powerful enough to damage your siding.
Trees and shrubbery can grow rapidly over the summer, so you’ll want to do some pruning when the time is right. Many people think to start this as soon as fall starts but that’s not the case. Never prune a tree before it’s dormant. You can seriously damage a tree if you prune it while it still has leaves on it. You’ll want to hold off on this until early winter.
8) Touch Up Your Exterior
Fall is the perfect time to touch up your exterior with a new paint job. The cooler weather can cause further damage to cracks in the paint so you’ll want to get to it in the fall. Just don’t paint on a windy day.
When fall comes around you’ll want to make sure that your house is properly insulated before the cooler temperatures set in. Fall is the perfect time to add extra insulation. Just be sure that you’re not covering up any of your soffit vents as they maintain the flow of fresh air into your attic.
Fall is the time to patch holes, caulk up gaps, and make sure your windows and doors aren’t drafty. This will help keep you and your family warm and your heating bill down in the winter.
11) Change the Batteries in Your Alarms
Since you will already be changing the time on your clocks, you might as well use this time to change all of the batteries in your fire and carbon monoxide alarms to keep your family safe.
12) Check Your Furnace and Replace Your Filter
You’ll want to make sure that your furnace is working in optimal condition before you need to use it. In addition, you’ll want to clean and or replace your furnace filters. This will help your furnace to work properly.
13) Clean Out Your Chimney
Winter is the time when we use our fireplaces. Creosote can build up in your fireplace’s flue and lead to a chimney fire so you’ll want to make sure that you have your chimney cleaned out properly in the fall.
14) Conduct Roof Maintenance
Winters can be harsh on your roof as it will dump heavy snow and ice onto it. It’s best to make sure your roof’s structural integrity is intact and that repairs are made if necessary in the fall. Just never reuse roofing materials. This can sabotage your repair efforts and increase damage to your roof.
15) Guard Your House Against Critters
Critters like mice and other animals will be seeking shelter from the cold, so you’ll want to make sure you seal any potential entrance ways and gaps to keep them out.
16) Rushing Interior Decor
You’ll live in your home for a long time. Take your time and really think through your interio decor plan. There’s no need to rush, and if you do a hasty job, it could cost you a lot more money in the long run. Additionally, if you take more time, then there will be less changes down the road.
17) Don’t Leave The Outdoor Unattended
While you can get carried away with what’s going on inside your home during the year, don’t forget to consistently maintain the backyard and patio. Just as you don’t want problems to accumulate over time indoors, you don’t want it to happen outdoors. Keep the outside routinely maintained.
18) Turn Off The Power When Doing Electrical Work
As a homeowner, it’s often easy to forget to turn off the power when doing electrical work such as replacing a light fixture or light bulb. We often like to rush through these tasks, but by not turning off the power, we’re increasing the risk of real injury or danger happening.
19) Pay Attention To Washer And Dryer
Some of the biggest pains homeowners deal with include fire and water damage. While water damage is generally thought of as flood waters or heavy rain, don’t forget that leaky water problems can occur in the laundry room. Don’t forget to pay attention to your washer and dryer when using them.
20) Make Sure Your Windows And Doors Are Efficient
As a homeowner, energy costs are an important thing to think about. Your monthly energy bill can fluctuate, and for most homeowners, it’s never fully optimized. Common culprits homeowners often overlook are windows and doors. Warm heat can escape through doors and windows that aren’t fully sealed.
21) Sprinkler Heads That Spray Against Home
Don’t let your sprinkler heads spray against the home. This can lead to rotted walls and color leaching from the exterior walls. In some cases, it can even result in movement of the foundation.
22) Failing To Use Bathroom and Laundry Vent Fans
Don’t forget to use your bathroom and laundry vent fans – they are there for a reason! Fans should always be used to avoid water vapor into the drywall, electrical outlets, and framing.
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If spring is the time for cleaning, fall is the time for maintenance. But there are lots of things homeowners forget to do and mistakes that are made once autumn comes around.
Here are 22 fall maintenance tips every homeowner should take care of: