With summer coming to an end it’s just about time to get to those Fall Home Maintenance tasks you may have put off. Before the winter months are here and it gets too cold to do too much outside work, it’s a great time to prepare for the snow and ice that are sure to come in just a few months.
Fall is a good time to prepare your chimney for cooler weather fires, by calling a chimney sweep company and having your flue cleaned. Creosote can build up over time, which can be a danger to your home and family because it can cause chimney fires. A chimney sweep will be able to remove that for you so you can enjoy nights by the fire safely. You should also see about having your heating system checked, and make sure you change the filters so you’re ready for those cold fall nights.
Another fall home maintenance task you’ll want to do to get ready for winter is to drain your garden hoses and store them for the winter, as well as your outdoor furniture. If you have a basement or storage shed to keep them from the ice and snow, your furniture will last a lot longer. Plus, you won’t need to worry about it blowing around in a Nor’easter and possibly breaking a window.
To make sure your heating bill doesn’t get too high, it’s a good idea to check your windows and doors for leaks and utilize weather stripping if you find any. Extreme temperatures can worsen these leaks so it’s a good idea to address them before the cold weather really sets in. Storm windows are another smart idea to help you save energy. Make sure screens are switched out for storm windows so you get that extra layer of insulation.
Finally, before the weather gets too cold, make sure you clean out your gutters and downspouts. This is a job you’ll want to do after most of the leaves have already fallen, to make sure that they are able to handle winter storms. Clean gutters and downspouts are better able to handle the runoff from snow and winter rain. This can help to prevent ice damming, which can damage your roof and cause leaks.
Just a few hours of preparation during the fall can make a big difference in preventing fires, water, and flood damage during the winter.