Fall is a perfect time to take care of small projects around the house and year to ensure small problems don’t become big ones when the cold and snowy weather arrives. These tasks will require a little time and effort, but getting some maintenance done now will allow you to avoid big headaches come winter.
1. Check your Windows
Make sure your windows are good to go by plugging the leaks. Aside from savings on your energy bills, ensuring your windows are properly sealed will reduce draughts and make your home more comfortable to wait out the wintry weather.
To find leaks, use your hand to feel for cold air, a candle to see if the light dances or incense to see if the smoke blows into the house or is sucked out. Use a combination of caulk, foam board, expandable sealant, and weather stripping to plug leaks around windows doors, electrical outlets, and other openings.
If you’ve already caulked around windows and doors and are still feeling draughts, your windows may need to be serviced or replaced. A reputable windows and doors company like Golden Windows can help you figure out your options.
2. Take Care of Leaves
The beauty of freshly fallen leaves quickly dissipates as they deteriorate and get wet from rain and snow. Make sure you’re raking and removing all of those dead leaves that fall before the snow flies. Aside from aesthetics, if you don’t rake them up, those pretty leaves will turn into a thick layer of wet leaves that can kill the grass. Plus, leaf piles also attract rodents.
Rake and bag leaves or use your lawn mower’s mulching mode. Ground-up leaves can nourish the soil, which saves you money down the line. You might need to make a few passes to slice the leaves small enough to decay.
3. Check the Roof
Wet leaves can collect on your roof and clump together, which can lead to rot. The moisture from the leaves can get into the shingles and can cause rotting there. As water builds up and drips down, it can leak inside.
Rather than climbing up to the roof regularly, use binoculars to inspect your roof regularly and clean up clumps of leaves that start to form.
4. Clear Gutters
Gutters stuffed with leaves and other debris can build up on your roof and start a chain reaction where, over time, water is prevented from properly draining, spills over the side, pools around your home’s foundation, and seeps inside. Water that freezes in gutters can force snow and ice into roof shingles, causing damage and leaks.
Clean out your gutters every fall and after major storms. Use a scoop or spatula to clear out the gunk.
5. Close Your Hoses
If you don’t close out your hoses before the cold weather hits, pipes can burst from the freezing water as it expands, which can create a nightmare of a mess to deal with. Shut off inside valves that control the water flow to hose spigots. Then you just open the spigots briefly to drain any leftover water in pipes and hoses.
Taking care of these fall maintenance projects now will allow you to settle down for a peaceful winter.