5 Must-Do Home Maintenance Tasks to Ensure You Have a Better Winter
Skimping on (or even skipping) home maintenance can be particularly tempting in the fall. As temperatures drop, colors change, and football begins; home maintenance doesn’t really feel as important as it did in other seasons. However, now is the perfect time to check some home maintenance items off the to-do list.
Think of it this way: Would you rather be on your roof trying to figure out why it’s leaking during the winter or would you rather take some time during much nicer weather to ensure your roof doesn’t leak later?
Here are five must-do items for fall home maintenance before you officially retire for the season.
This is the #1 must-do fall home maintenance task. Take your time up on your roof. Inspect your shingles to ensure they’re ready to keep out the water and bad weather when winter rolls around.
Then, go clean your gutters and downspouts. You want to make sure there’s no debris in your gutters whenever winter rolls in.
If you don’t clean out your gutters and there is a snow or ice storm, the water can build up. With low temperatures, the water will freeze. Frozen water can damage your gutters, shingles, and even lead to damage inside your home.
2. Change your window and door screens.
Right now, you probably have screens on your windows and doors. However, if you have storm windows or storm doors, it’s time to make the switch. Storm windows and doors can help better-insulate your home. They also protect the glass in your windows and doors from being broken during hail storms.
3. Get ready for heat.
When cold weather strikes, you want to make sure your heating system is ready. Change your furnace filter. You might also want to have someone come out to service your heating unit before you use it.
Also, if you use your fireplace often during the winter, now is a great time to have the chimney inspected and cleaned. You want to be certain that, when you light your first fire of the season, you get to enjoy the warmth of the fire and not a room full of smoke.
4. Make sure you’re sealed up tight.
While the weather is enjoyable, take a nice stroll around the outside of your home. Check the seals around your windows and doors. Make sure you also check the seals for your garage doors. This will help keep your home warmer and also keep small rodents on the outside during the colder months.
Then, once you’ve checked the outside of your house, check the inside. Inspect your windows and exterior doors. By making sure you have a good seal on the inside and outside, you’ll keep your house warmer and avoid pesky situations in the winter like drafts and mold growth.
5. Trim back your trees and shrubs.
When you take the time to trim your trees and shrubs, you’re actually accomplishing two tasks with one. On one hand, you’re preparing your landscape for beautiful growth in the spring. On the other hand, you’re taking steps to ensure you don’t lose power during the winter because of fallen branches. No matter how rough a winter you have, you’ll come out ahead.
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