As the air chills and leaves start to turn, it is apparent that fall is well on its way. Before lighting a fire and settling down with a cup of hot chocolate, there are a multitude of preparatory tasks that must be undertaken to ensure your home is ready for the change of season. These chores don’t have to be overly complicated or time-consuming and will greatly improve your home's resiliency and give you peace of mind. Let us recommend some projects to help you get started.
Heat escaping from your home can cause both physical and financial discomfort. Luckily there are some quick and relatively inexpensive solutions to this issue. Small rips or cracks in the weather seals of doors and windows can easily be fixed with replacement strips. Hanging drapes in front of windows is an additional measure to greatly prevent air loss.
The expense and cleanup of a burst pipe is an extraordinary hassle. Luckily the prevention for this is one of the easiest to accomplish on our list, you just need to remember to do it! Prior to the coldest air of the year moving in, make sure to drain your outside pipes/hoses and turn the water off to those sources, simple and effective.
The last thing you need when the temperature dips is for your HVAC system to go on the fritz, making this time of year perfect to have a licensed professional come in and take a look at your system. They will most likely provide preventative maintenance such as filter changing along with some general cleaning of the units. The air quality should improve and the system running more efficiently will help your bottom line.
Walking over your lawn during the cold months can damage hibernating foliage. Additionally, ice and snow are difficult to clear from an unfinished surface. If you don’t have paths leading to the entrances of your home, now is a great time to add some. This can be as simple as laying down some stones or pavers. If you already have walkways, check for cracks as any water that is able to migrate and then freeze will only expand and cause the fissures to grow. Finally, this is a great time to pressure wash any mold/moss growth that has made its way onto the surfaces during the previous warmer months.
Most vegetation does not stop its growth until the temperature drops consistently below forty degrees. Prior to this occurring, treat your lawn and plants with a fertilizer heavy in phosphorous which can help early growth and greening in the spring. Starting a compost bin is a hot tip for producing that fertilizer for future uses!
After last year's use, the surrounding hearth and inside of your fireplace may be showing a bit of grime. To avoid this getting out of control, give everything a deep clean. If it is beyond the point of cleaning, consider replacing the hearth with a surface that is easier to maintain. Don’t neglect your chimney. It is crucial to make sure this pathway is clear for fire prevention and to minimize smoke build-up. Hiring a chimney sweep can take care of this issue efficiently and economically. Sticking with our fire theme, there is nothing quite like enjoying a fire outside. Creating a small firepit and surrounding seating area in your backyard is a great way to allow your family to keep enjoying the outdoors in comfort later into the year.
Taking the trash out from your garage in the later months of the year is a bit more difficult as darkness sets in early. Installing a motion-activated light for your driveway leading from your garage helps alleviate this problem. This can also be helpful for guests leaving your home after a late dinner party. In terms of your garage, the heavy use from the summer months probably has created some clutter. Now is the perfect time to do some “fall cleaning” and tidy up tools or any items you will not be utilizing in the coming colder season.
Simple and straightforward. If you want to increase the lifespan of your patio furniture, (which you probably have spent significant money on) move it inside when not being used due to the cold weather. Furniture being constantly pelted by ice and snow takes a huge ware on cushions and hardware quickly giving the pieces an aged look. Protect your investment!
As always, fall is a time to look forward to with the relief from the heat and the beautiful colors that emerge. Prepare your home so you are able to devote as much time as possible to enjoying one of our favorite times of the year!
Want more insight into how RessaBuilt can help you transform your home? Check out the informative articles on our blog, or contact us to get your own home remodeling project started.