Your Home’s Fall Checklist

The first day of fall is next Tuesday, the 23rd. Summer is finally winding down and we can expect to enjoy some moderate temperatures before old man winter comes knocking on our doors. It’s important that homeowners take this time to do some check ups around the house. Taking care of a home’s problems is much easier to do in the fall compared to winter.

Check out the list below and make sure your home is ready for the fall.

Gutters. Your roof is responsible for annually draining thousands of gallons of water from home’s exterior. It’s important to keep a system like this functioning smoothly. Damaged exterior surfaces and flooded basements could be the result of clogged gutters. This could lead to irreversible damage like rust and corrosion.

Windows. Gaps in caulk and weather-stripping can account for 10% of your heating bill! Weather-stripping is a material that that helps reduce drafts and keeps your home insulated. Weather-stripping is known to deteriorate over time so its important to check up on it periodically. Check your home’s caulking as well at all entry points: electrical, cable, gas, phone, etc. Seal up those large gaps.

Roof. Leaky roofs can lead to huge problems. Once you notice dripping, quickly find the source. Try to fix roof problems in the fall before winter hits and turns minor annoyances into huge disasters. Be sure to check your roof for missing or damaged shingles. Large amounts of granules in your gutter signify your roof may be losing its coating.

Furnace. Your heating system should be inspected once year by a professional to make sure everything is in working order. It’s best to do this in early fall before the temperatures drop too low. There a couple tell-tale signs that you should have your furnace inspected: noisy belts, poor performance and erratic behavior.

Smoke/CO Detectors. It’s always important to regularly check your home’s smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Replace the batteries then brush those batteries with soft bristles to ensure nothing is interfering with the connection. Most detectors today, have test buttons, so put it to use! Every floor of your home should have both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Prepping your home for fall is important and will save you time and energy before old man winter comes knocking on your door. If this upcoming winter is anything like last years (which it’s expected to be) then you’ll be glad you checked up on these things in the fall.