Preparing Your Home for the Fall Season

There are plenty of tricks and techniques when preparing your home for the fall and establishing a solid foundation for later. Now is the time to prepare for the fall and take care of the home.

Preparing Your Home: Things You Should Do

It is time to clean your house in the autumn. Here are some things you should do to prevent issues from arising in the winter season.

Keep Gutters Clean 

All the fallen leaves and debris that may have accumulated and built up in your gutters can lead to issues. When gutters are full of muck and become clogged, they can create water or ice dams in the drains, preventing the systems from flowing and working correctly. Water overflow can back up in your home, leading to many problems and costly repairs. You can easily avoid running into leak repairs or water damage fixes by keeping your gutters and drains clean. It is also wise to run water through the gutters to check for misalignments that may be causing water damage.

Secure Outdoor Furniture

Do you have a plan for storing and protecting your outdoor furniture? It is vital to make sure it is stowed away and covered adequately. Consider the type of furniture you have when determining the best way to store it. It is best to reseal wooden furniture to protect the wood and then cover it. You can prevent metal furniture from rusting by sealing it with wax or paint. You can wash plastic and wicker furniture. Make sure you store cushions indoors to prevent mold from forming.

Seal Your Home

Properly sealing your home is crucial for your home energy savings. The more your heater or furnace is running, the higher your utility bill will be to heat your home. You can use caulk and apply weatherstripping to nail down windows and doors. It is an effective and inexpensive method of sealing your home. Covering your kitchen exhaust fan can also help prevent hot air from escaping your home. Also, seal any air leaks around the chimney, furnace, and water heater vents.

Filter Refresh 

It is essential to refresh your filter. Clogged filters make it difficult to maintain your ideal temperature in your home while significantly raising the utility bills.  You can use a soft brush from a vacuum to thoroughly clean filters. Additionally, you can clean disposable filters once before you replace them. You can also change foam filters and only need to replace them if you notice they have some damage. 

Clean the Oven

Cleaning the oven is often an overlooked household chore. However, it is wise to do this time of year before making any holiday feasts. Grab every crumb out of the oven and ensure it is spotless. 

Clean Chimney

Those with a wood-burning fireplace should take this time to ensure the chimney is clean from last year’s soot. Consider hiring a chimney sweep professional as they will have the right tools and should be an expert. 

Check Heating System

You will likely use your heating system in the upcoming months. Consider getting your system checked and serviced before its first use of the season.

Full Home Inspection 

Fall time is ideal to do a walk-through all around your home and check for anything that could need some tending before the cold and wet weather. Catching something small now can make all the difference in avoiding a massive issue down the line that is much harder to recover from. Some things are inevitable and simply part of homeownership which is why secure Homeowners Insurance is critical. Give your house an annual inspection at the beginning of fall to make sure your home is in good condition. 

About David G. Sayles Insurance Services

At David G. Sayles Insurance Services, we help our clients decide which of these options is best for them based on their current situation and risk factors. Contact us at 1-855-977-1842 or insureme@dsayles.mysites.io for a consultation!