In the News October 2012
Kenneth Bargers, REALTOR®
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2012 Newsletter Archives
7 Tips for Fall Home Maintenance
With fall right around the corner, now is the time to enjoy the outdoors and soak up the nice weather before winter sets in. But when you’re not throwing around the football or working in the garden this fall season, you should take the time to prepare your home for the cold weather and make important repairs that you didn’t get to during the summer. Gather up your tools and materials and get started on your fall home maintenance with these seven helpful tips.
1 Clean the gutters: Autumn foliage might be bright and beautiful, but when the leaves start to fall, things tend to get messy around the yard. This fall, make a point to inspect and clear your gutters of leaves, twigs, and other debris a few times throughout the season. Clogged gutters, combined with overflowing water can cause serious damage to the paint and siding on a home. If the blocked water freezes, it can destroy the gutters, loosen shingles, and cause additional leaks.
2 Inspect the roof: It’s important to keep a close eye on your roof during the fall season and make sure it is in good shape for winter. Look for missing or loose shingles, and fix any problem areas as soon as possible. The cold temperatures, combined with the destructive elements of rain, ice, snow, and wind could damage your roof and cause serious issues inside. If the damage is severe or you’re not comfortable working on the roof, hire a professional to do the dirty work for you.
3 Check for indoor air leaks: Don’t let precious heated or cooled air escape your home this fall; seal drafts in walls, windows, doors, and any other gaps throughout the house. Install weatherstripping and caulk any areas where air escapes. Doing so will give you optimal heating or cooling this fall season and help save up to 10% on your total annual energy bill.
4 Reverse your ceiling fans: One of the simplest maintenance tasks you can do this fall is reverse the direction of your ceiling fan by hitting the switch on your fan. While it may not seem like much, reversing the direction of your ceiling fan can actually keep your room warmer in the colder months by creating an upward draft that redistributes heated air from the ceiling throughout your room.
5 Get your heating system checked: Before the cold winter months set in, you will want to have your heating system checked by a licensed professional to make sure it’s clean and working properly. This includes inspecting the filters, pilot lights, and burners. A clean, properly functioning heating system will save you lots of money and headaches in the future. While you’re at it, you might as well have your woodstove and fireplace examined and cleaned to ensure optimal heating options for winter.
6 Install storm windows: If you live in an area that experiences winter storms and extreme cold, you should strongly consider installing storm windows before the first flurry falls. Not only do storm windows better protect against breaking, but they can also help you save energy and money by reducing air movement in and out of windows.
7 Clean your yard equipment: An often overlooked maintenance task is cleaning the yard equipment and preparing it for storage. While you may need to keep the rakes and leaf blower out for a few more months, you can drain the fuel from other gas-operated equipment like lawn movers and chain saws. This is also a good time to pull out your snow equipment and make sure everything is working properly.
Source: HomeInsurance.org; Blog Post, 7 Tips for Fall Home Maintenance (September 20, 2012)
Around the House…Fall Maintenance Tips
During the fall season, before the weather grows colder it's important to prepare for the winter months to prevent costly damage later on. Below are fall preventative home maintenance steps that every homeowner should follow.
Gutters and Downspouts
- Clean gutters and downspouts frequently throughout fall to prevent build up of leaves and other debris. Neglected gutters can lead to wood rot problems, pest infestations, wet basements, foundation damage and many other expensive complications.
- Be sure water is not coming down behind gutters and that all support brackets are securely in place.
- Check to ensure water drains properly and doesn't pool, which can cause damage to foundations, driveways, and walkways.
Windows and Doors
- Change summer screens to cool weather storm windows and doors.
- Inspect and repair any loose or damaged window or door frames.
- Install weather stripping or caulking around windows and doors to prevent drafts and lower heating bills.
- Clean and lubricate garage door hinges, rollers, and tracks and be sure screws are tight.
Heating Systems
- Replace the filter in your furnace.
- Consider having a heating professional check your heating system to ensure optimal performance and discover minor problems before they turn into costly major repairs.
- Clean your ducts to better your heating system's efficiency as well as to reduce household dust and to provide relief to those with respiratory problems. Also check for air leakage especially around joints.
- Clean your thermostat's heat sensor, contact points, and contacts. Check accuracy and replace if necessary.
Plumbing
- To prevent pipes freezing and bursting, ensure that the pipes, as well as the wall cavities where they reside, are well insulated.
- Be sure that you know how to locate and turn off the water shut-off valve in case pipes do freeze.
Chimney and Fireplace
- Call a professional in to inspect and clean your chimney. Fireplaces that are regularly used during the season should have an annual cleaning to prevent dangerous chimney fires.
- Test your fireplace flue for a tight seal when closed.
- Consider installing a carbon monoxide alarm near the fireplace and furnace.
Attic ventilation
- Be sure attic insulation doesn't cover ventilation vents in the eaves to prevent winter ice dams on the roof.
- Be sure ridge vents and vents at eaves are free of plants and debris.
- Check bird and rodent screens for attic vents to prevent any unwanted guests.
Landscape and Yardwork
- Although grass appears to stop growing in the fall, the roots are actually growing deeper to prepare for winter. Now is the best time to fertilize and reseed your lawn.
- Prune your trees and shrubs after the leaves turn to encourage healthy growth in the spring.
- Trim any tree limbs that are dangerously close to power lines or the roof of your house. Heavy snow and ice can cause damage in the winter.
Other Hints/Tips
- Ceiling fans: A common misconception about overhead fans is that they're just for summer. The truth is ceiling fans are helpful no matter what the season. In summer they will cool you down and in winter they increase the airflow and improve your heating. Definitely a winning situation.
- Equipment: If you have portable patio furniture, lightweight play equipment, or a barbecue grill, store it inside. The exception to this is a propane tank, which should never be put indoors. Garden hoses should be drained of water and stored indoors. Make sure your outside water spigots are completely turned off and capped to prevent freezing.
- Thermostat: The number one thing that affects a person's bill is the heat they use in their house. Heating accounts for approximately 70% of a person's energy bill. The simple act of turning down your thermostat at night or while you are gone during the day will go a long way to reducing your energy bills. It is recommended keeping your thermostat at 68-72 degrees for heating purposes and dropping it lower at night. By turning your thermostat down at night, you reap the savings of a lower winter utility bill. If you have trouble remembering to turn the temperature down, consider installing a programmable thermostat to do the work for you.
- Paint interior rooms while it's still warm enough to leave windows open. The same applies for shampooing or replacing carpets.
- Clean and vacuum dust from vents, baseboard heaters and cold-air returns. Dust build-up in ducts is a major cause of indoor pollutants and can increase incidences of cold-weather illnesses. Consider hiring a pro to clean hard-to-reach ductwork.
Source: Around the House, Home Repair Services; Fall Maintenance Tips
