Preparing Your Home For Fall

The air is crisp, and fall is here. Preparing your home for the change in season is essential to ensure your home is cozy, energy-efficient, and safe during the colder months ahead. Read along as we guide you to prepare your home for fall.

1. Service Your Heating System

As temperatures drop, be proactive and schedule a licensed HVAC to clean and inspect your furnace to ensure it works effectively for the colder months. Replacing your filter and fixing any potential issues will make your heating system more efficient and can save you money on energy bills.

2. Clean Your Dryer Vent

A commonly overlooked fall home maintenance tip is cleaning your dryer vent. As lint builds up, it can make your dryer less efficient and even cause a fire. Dry, cool weather increases static electricity and can ignite built-up lint. Hiring a duct cleaning specialist or cleaning the vents yourself will provide you peace of mind and keep your dryer working efficiently this season.

3. Fireplace Maintenance

With the season change and cooler nights ahead, ensure your fireplace is ready for cozy enjoyment with a routine chimney sweep. The National Fire Protection Association recommends getting your chimney cleaned and inspected once a year to prevent creosote buildup. This highly flammable debris can be a potential fire hazard. In addition to being a safety benefit, if you plan to sell your home, buyers will appreciate a servicing record ensuring the fireplace has been maintained and is in working order.

4. Clean Your Gutters

Maintaining the exterior of your home during the fall months is just as important as the inside. As leaves start falling, it’s essential to remember to clean your gutters. Leaves and debris accumulate during this time, leading to clogs and water damage. Keeping your gutters clear will allow proper drainage and prevent water from overflowing and damaging your roof or siding. Another proactive gutter tip is to extend your downspouts to keep water away from your home's foundation!

5. Landscape Upkeep

If you plan to sell your home this season, keep up your curb appeal for potential buyers by maintaining leaf debris, trimming back trees and shrubs, and removing dead plants. These landscape tips will create a pleasant first impression on buyers and make your home inviting. And even if you aren’t preparing to sell, good curb appeal is welcoming for your guests during the upcoming holidays!

6. Inspect Your Roof

Before the snow starts to fall and accumulate, inspect your roof for any signs of damage like loose or missing shingles, damaged flashing, or possible leaks. Addressing these issues now can save you time and costly repairs later on.

7. Disconnect Your Exterior Hose Bibs

It’s crucial for your home plumbing to remember to disconnect your outdoor hose to eliminate the chances of freezing your plumbing lines. You will only ensure they are frost-free if nothing is connected to the bibs. A good rule of thumb is to disconnect right after Halloween!

Fall home maintenance is essential for a safe, enjoyable, and energy-efficient season. By tackling these tasks, you can enjoy the beauty of autumn while ensuring that your home is well-prepared for the colder months ahead!