Home Maintenance Mistakes to Avoid During the Fall

Fall is a good time to prepare your home for the winter season. This means going over your home maintenance checklist and making sure that every part of your home is in good shape before harsher weather arrives.

But with so many home maintenance tasks to do, you may forget or overlook a few things that could cause trouble along the way. To prevent the need for costly emergency repairs, here are some reminders from gutter installation expert Barry Best Seamless Gutters to help you avoid the most common home maintenance mistakes.

Procrastination

There never seems to be a convenient time to tackle home maintenance tasks. It’s easy to find something else that is more urgent or more fun to do. But here’s a simple solution that’ll help you avoid putting off your home maintenance project: schedule each maintenance chore and set up a reminder in your phone. Remember that you don’t have to do everything all at once. You can deal with the tasks one at a time, so you won’t be overwhelmed by the amount of work that you need to do or oversee. You don’t have to do everything all by yourself either. You can hire professionals to clean, maintain or repair things in and around your house as needed.

Neglecting Exterior Touch-Ups

Fall brings pleasant weather, which can be perfect for doing home exterior touch-ups. So take advantage of this season and give your home a boost in curb appeal. Just make sure to use high-quality paint with an acrylic base as well as the right techniques. To ensure a flawless application, it’s best to hire a professional exterior painter for the job, especially if you’re repainting your entire home. If you don’t want to paint the entire house, you can simply touch up bare spots, splits and board ends to ensure these areas will be protected from the winter weather. 

Pruning Trees Prematurely

As a rule of thumb, you shouldn’t trim a tree before it becomes dormant. If you prune it too early when the tree still has leaves, this can increase its risk of tree-borne diseases. The ideal time for tree pruning is around early winter. By this time, you should be removing thin crowded branches and diseased limbs.

Forgetting to Clean the Gutters

Don’t let decomposing leaves and debris pile up in your gutters. This debris can block your gutters and downspouts, preventing water from being carried out of the gutter system. Furthermore, such blockages can lead to gutter damage when the temperatures drop and the water freezes in the winter.

It’s best to hire a professional to clean your gutters, but if you decide to do it yourself, remember to always prioritize safety. Use a sturdy ladder and ensure it’s tall enough that you don’t have to overreach or stand on the top rung. Also, wear shoes with nonslip soles and make sure someone is available to steady the bottom of the ladder and hand you tools.

If you’re looking for a long-term solution or you want to reduce gutter maintenance work, you might want to consider installing gutter protection and switching to seamless gutters, if you haven’t done so yet. Gutter covers help prevent leaves and other debris from entering your gutter system, while seamless gutters are typically less prone to leaks and require only minimal maintenance. Remember, you can significantly reduce the expense and effort of gutter maintenance by keeping your gutters in good shape. 

Improper Use of Power Washing

Power washing offers a convenient way to remove dirt and grime buildup on your siding. However, be careful when using a pressure washer. Keep in mind that you don’t need to blast the water at full force. Too much water pressure can damage your siding. This can force water to go under the siding, peel away paint or damage softer materials. When power washing your exterior, make sure to start at the top of the siding. Then, aim the water slightly downward. Use a gentle side-to-side motion when cleaning.

Another important thing to remember: Don’t pressure wash too close to masonry. This can cause mineral deposits to seep out of the brick and stone and produce white streaks that can be difficult to remove.

Failure to Address Water Damage

Water damage often starts with a small leak, but it can quickly spread and cause extensive damage to your home. Make sure all parts of your home are dry and in good condition. Otherwise, water damage and mold growth can occur. In a short span of time, moisture problems can become quite serious. Water can penetrate building materials, causing damage that requires complete replacement or expensive repairs. 

Ignoring a Dirty Chimney

Regularly check your chimney for creosote buildup. Make sure to have your chimney cleaned and inspected before you start using it during the winter season. It’s best to schedule chimney cleaning and inspection early since fall is usually the busiest time for chimney sweeps.

Not Switching to Energy-Efficient Bulbs

Daytime is typically shorter in the winter as the sun sets earlier during this time of the year. That means you would likely need to leave your lights on for longer periods. To save energy and to ensure that your bulbs will last longer, you should swap out your old incandescent bulbs for CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps) or LEDs (light-emitting diodes). CFL or LED bulbs are more energy-efficient lighting options, so they help reduce your energy consumption.

Sealing Gaps Without Removing Old Caulk

Check the gaps around your windows and between siding boards. Make sure these are properly sealed so that you won’t have to worry about cold drafts and expensive heating bills in the winter. But before you patch up any holes and gaps, don’t forget to remove all existing caulk. New caulk needs a clean surface to seal properly. So if you apply new caulk over existing caulk, this won’t create a proper seal for your home. You can use a razor blade to take out the old caulk. Make sure to wash the area with a degreasing detergent, and let it dry completely before applying a new caulk.

Overlooking Appliance Maintenance

Make sure your appliances are also in good working condition. For instance, your refrigerator may have water and air filters that need to be replaced. If you have an icemaker, make sure to clean and descale it regularly. Hard water can cause it to stop functioning correctly. Also, empty your ice bins every month and clean them with a bleach solution.

Get a Free Gutter Quote Today!

Barry Best Seamless Gutters has been serving local communities for several years. We specialize in seamless gutter and heated gutter systems, so our crew can handle installations and replacements. Rest assured that we use only quality materials and employ correct installation techniques, so we can guarantee quality workmanship. 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.