Preparing Your Home for Autumn: Maintenance Tips for the End of Summer

Posted on Sep 15 2016 - 12:01pm by Housecall
#4

By Anita Alvarez

family rakingIt’s almost time. Sigh. Summer is drawing to a close, like it or not.

Before the leaves fall and the wind turns chilly, it’s a good idea to do some seasonal maintenance on your home. Here are some things to add to your fall “honey-do” list.

Have your furnace inspected. It’s smart to have your heating system serviced before you actually need to use it. Experts say that as much as 75 percent of the calls they receive about homeowners without heat are a result of not having the furnace serviced and cleaned. It will also keep your heating costs down and help keep the air in your home healthy.

Apply a fresh coat of paint. Interior painting requires good ventilation, so the best time to tackle a paint spruce-up is the time of year when you can open up your windows.

Inspect your roof. You’ll want to check for shingles that are cracked, buckling, or missing. Check for caulking that needs to be replaced, or moss or lichen, which could indicate deterioration underneath. If you don’t trust your own assessment, work with a certified inspector.

Related: The Perks of Buying a Home in the Fall

Check for mold. The humidity of summer can cause mold to flourish. Check locations such as around leaky pipes, basements, or areas that don’t get good ventilation. You will want to remove the mold as soon as possible. It’s wise to have this done by a professional.

Replace weatherstripping on doors. There could be gaps that you can’t see and that can jack up your energy costs. It’s a simple fix that can be done with items found at your local hardware store.

Check the airflow. Focus on areas like vents, the hood over your stove, dryer vents, baseboard heaters and room fans. Not only is a buildup of dust a fire hazard, but you also want to keep the air flowing and the allergens at bay.

Get control of gutters and downspouts. Clogs in gutters and downspouts can cause the roof to leak, which can lead to a host of other problems. It’s a slippery slope from clogged gutters to water damage in your home!

Look over your siding. You’ll want to look for any areas on vinyl siding that are buckled or warped. If you have wood siding, look for curling, splitting or cracking. Should you find an issue, you’ll definitely want it taken care of before the weather gets cold!

Inspect your insulation. The most important area to check is your attic. You should have the highest concentration of insulation here. See if there are any gaps that need to be filled. You don’t need to check the insulation in your walls unless you notice heating issues.

Make sure your detectors are working. Ensure both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors have fresh batteries. It’s smart to test them, also. Both are especially important once your furnace is in use.

Each season brings its own challenges and wear-and-tear on your home, so stay organized and focused. With summer ending and autumn on the way, you can go into the new season secure that your home is in tip-top shape!

4 Comments so far. Feel free to join this conversation.

  1. Deborah Faustina September 20, 2016 at 10:57 pm -

    Some of These don’t really pertain to Las Vegas but a few do, take the one’s you need to use & maybe pass along to someone who may need a reminder!!

  2. Debra Klosinski October 13, 2016 at 5:22 am -

    Appreciate the reminder to check the rain gutters there were twice as many leaves this year I think. Also the smoke detectors, it never fails the batteries fail at 3am. Best to change them all at once. Very useful and informative.

  3. Nancy Pelaez October 22, 2016 at 7:23 am -

    Thanks for the reminders needs to take care of simple fixers.

  4. NYsteamers February 13, 2018 at 6:59 am -

    Autumn season looks nice, but sometimes you have to spend a lot of time to clean your garage or outer area of your home from shedding of leaves.
    https://nysteamers.com