Before you say goodbye to the hot summer days and embrace the cooler weather of fall, make sure your home is also ready for the change of seasons. This means doing a bunch of home maintenance tasks, which are not quite as exciting for many people. But as long as you start early and gradually, preparing your home could be less stressful and exhausting for you. Of course, don’t forget to get the help of contractors for bigger tasks so that you can lighten your load and ensure each job will be done properly.
In this post, gutter installation expert Barry Best Seamless Gutters lists some essential home maintenance tasks that you should get done before fall finally comes in full swing.
Landscaping
Continue tending to your yard or garden. Prune your landscaping to encourage plants, flowers and trees to grow healthier and thicker. Just make sure to prune properly to avoid disfiguring or harming your plants and trees.
For most plants, pruning can be done by removing up to one-third of the total stems after the first year of growth. Then, you can prune any older stems over the next two years to help the plant grow new and healthy stems.
For trees, some of the common areas that should be pruned include:
- damaged, diseased or dead limbs
- sagging limbs
- small branches growing from the base of the roots or trunk
- branches that interfere with each other
When done successfully, trimming your trees can help keep pests away and improve your home’s curb appeal. However, take note that tree pruning is best left to arborists or tree trimming professionals since the task requires climbing up a ladder and handling tools.
Lastly, make sure not to skip fertilizing your lawn. To ensure that your lawn will look great in the spring and summer, you should prep them for the fall and winter. Keep in mind that roots remain active when the grass isn’t growing. And by applying fertilizer now, you can prevent winter damage and encourage faster growth in the spring.
Plumbing
Make sure your plumbing connections are in good shape. Call your trusted plumber and have your plumbing system inspected, particularly your water and drain lines. Proper maintenance is the best way to prevent water damage and to prepare your plumbing system for the colder weather.
Drain Your Outdoor Faucets
Don’t forget to turn off all your outdoor faucets before winter. Furthermore, make sure all your garden hoses are drained and disconnected from outside spigots. Failure to do this could cause water to freeze and your pipes to potentially burst.
Check Your Washing Machine Connections
Check your washing machine connections too. Remember that your washer has hot and cold water lines running to it. If you have an older unit, look for black rubber hoses. But if you have a newer model, it’s likely using braided steel lines. Check these for any signs of water leakage, such as bulging hoses, pooling water or discoloration on the drywall.
Gutters
Inspect your gutters for damage. Look out for leaks, loose screws, uneven sections, and any signs of wear and tear. Make sure your gutters aren’t sagging or pulling away from your home. If any of these problems are present in your gutter system, call a gutter professional and have them assess the condition of your gutters. They could recommend fixing or replacing your gutters and downspouts. In case of gutter replacement, you might want to consider seamless gutters since these tend to be less susceptible to leaks than seamed gutters.
Clean Your Gutters
Your gutters drain a huge amount of rainwater from your roof every year. That’s why you should take time to check for dirt and debris buildup inside your gutters. Clean your gutter system regularly to avoid clogging. Otherwise, you might have to deal with a flooded interior or a damaged roof or exterior.
Install Gutter Guards
Consider adding gutter guards to keep leaves, debris and other small objects out of your gutter system. Don’t worry because these covers are designed to prevent debris from getting in your gutters while allowing water to enter and exit easily. By installing gutter guards, you can reduce the amount of debris that falls in your gutters and minimize or eliminate the risk of clogging.
HVAC
Autumn will surely bring cooler temperatures. And with winter, you can expect the weather to be colder. Make sure your interior will remain comfortable during these months by having your heating system tuned up and improving your ventilation. Clean vents and change filters to improve the efficiency of your HVAC system and ensure good indoor air quality.
Ventilation
Check your bathroom and range hood ventilation as well. Ensure your exhaust fans are working properly and they are able to effectively remove excess moisture and heat from your home. Inspect your vents — make sure they aren’t blocked with debris and the fans have no signs of wear. When it comes to your HVAC system, it’s best to hire an HVAC professional. Exhaust vents, for instance, can exit through your roofline or wall, so they might not be easy to find and clean.
HVAC Units
Clean your outdoor HVAC units and cover areas where leaves and other debris could possibly enter. When dirt gets inside your outdoor unit, this would likely affect its performance and efficiency.
And although your heating will take up much of the work during fall and winter, now is still a good time to do some air conditioner maintenance. Your air conditioner has run all summer long and condensed a good amount of moisture in the air. This moisture typically runs safely through the drain lines. But for various reasons, these could become clogged or damaged. Watch out for water pooling near your foundation or in your basement as this could mean a problem in your drain lines. To check if the water is moving through the drain line while the air conditioner is working, you should be able to see some moisture draining. There shouldn’t be a significant amount of water.
Windows
Check your windows for drafts and make sure your interior is not losing heat. Heat loss through windows accounts for 25-30% of heating energy use. To avoid this problem and to help keep your heating costs down, you can update your weatherstripping.
Exterior
Give your exterior some TLC. Look out for damage in your siding and make sure your roof is in tip-top shape. Pay attention to your driveway as well. If you notice any cracks, have them fixed right away. When water gets into these cracks, it will freeze and expand, making the cracks even bigger. Small cracks can become large cracks that could possibly cause the concrete to crumble over time.
Get a Free Quote Today!
Barry Best Seamless Gutters provides high-quality gutter systems, including heated gutter systems, for residential buildings and commercial facilities. We also offer a range of awnings and retractable screens to suit various applications. Our team is composed of fully trained and professional individuals who can guarantee top-notch workmanship and exceptional customer service. Call us at (315) 697-5000 or fill out our contact form to request a free estimate. We serve customers in Canastota and Syracuse, NY, as well as other surrounding areas.
