Fall Home Maintenance: Top 5 Things to Do Each Year

It’s that time of the year, again, when leaves start changing color and thoughts turn to colder weather.

Fall has arrived and your house will need some attention!  Here are the top 5 things to do to prepare your home for winter.

 

 

Service the heating system.

This may sound obvious to many.  You would be surprised (or not) how many people do not do this on an annual basis.  They wait until they have no heat and then request an URGENT repair call.  Why wait to fix a broken boiler or furnace, when you can maintain it properly at less cost and aggravation?    

(HH annual subscribers can choose a FREE annual heating service call as part of their subscription.)

 

Gutter Cleaning.

Cleaning gutters and downspouts will ensure that water flows away from your home and does not accumulate at the base of your foundation.  Water in the basement is often caused by clogged gutters and leaders.  Frozen gutters (gutters that are clogged with debris and then freeze solid) can be a bigger problem since the weight of the debris may cause the gutter system to fail completely.  Once again, simple solution is to clean the gutters in late Fall.

(Or, HH annual subscribers can choose a FREE annual gutter cleaning as part of their subscription.)

 

Roof Inspection.

You don’t want to find out you have a roof leak after the snow starts to fall.

Roof leaks are notorious for causing water damage anywhere throughout the house, even down to the first floor!  A careful inspection of the roof will go a long way to protect your home from unnecessary water damage.  This is particularly important if you have a lot of trees on your property.

 

Fireplace Inspection & Chimney Cleaning.

Do you have an active fireplace?  Are you burning wood during the colder nights for that cozy warm feeling?  You need to have your fireplace inspected and chimney cleaned.  Period.   Also check smoke/ CO detectors too.

Clean Window Wells.

This goes hand in hand with gutter cleaning above.  A clogged gutter can dump water into a window well.  If there are a lot of leaves in the well, the leaves can act as a pool liner preventing drainage.  If enough water accumulates, this can cause the window to break, flooding the basement. No guarantee insurance will cover this one.

 

Become a Hubster Today and Start Revolutionizing Your Home Care with Fall Maintenance.

Homeowners Hub annual subscribers can choose a FREE annual heating service call or a FREE annual gutter cleaning as part of their subscription. Sign up today!

 

Remember an ounce of “maintenance” is worth a pound of “repair”!

Written by Sandi A Goodman
Co-Founder, Homeowners Hub