Ross and Witmer Keeping your home well-maintained and running smoothly is a year-round job, but thinking ahead and staying organized can make things easier. Planning out a fall home maintenance to-do list can help you be prepared and ensure that you set aside the time to properly prepare your home for the changing seasons. To get you started, here are a few important items to start off your list.
Inspect the exterior of your home, looking for cracks where water could seep in or heat could escape. Look closely around the foundation, windows and doors and any other openings into your home. Ensure that windows, doors and garage doors seal well. Check the condition of the roof, looking for any leaks or loose roofing material. Keep the gutters clean and clear of fallen leaves. If you spot peeling or bubbling paint on the siding of your home, have it repainted and sealed to prevent further damage from permeating your siding.
In the yard, prepare to circulate the yard tools, exchanging lawnmowers and summer tools for snow blowers, snow shovels and the like. Empty water out of hoses and store them correctly, and shut off any water that flows through uninsulated pipes that could freeze and break. Clean up, reseed and fertilize your lawn.
Store any summer yard and porch furniture or decorations. Remember that it is easy to lose things once snow covers everything, so it’s best to do this ahead of time.
Indoors, check for drafts in your home and invest in caulking and weatherstripping to prevent loss of heat. Have your heating system inspected to ensure that it is in working order, as well as any fireplaces you may have.
Clean your humidifiers to have them ready for the dry, cold weather ahead, and check and change the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.
Fall home maintenance can be a big job, but planning a list of tasks ahead of time can make the transition much more relaxed and easy. For more help with winterizing your home and other home comfort questions, you can contact us at Ross & Witmer for answers! Since 1945, we’ve been keeping Charlotte area homes comfortable!