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Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

Fall is the perfect opportunity to tackle basic chores that will help make winter even more cheerful and avoid unpleasant surprises later. Here is a helpful fall home maintenance checklist, so you can help ensure your yard and home are ready for winter.

Stay Ahead with this Handy Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

As the last of summer’s heat becomes a distant memory, it’s time to consider preparing your home to withstand any winter frostbite. Think about adding these items to your must-do home repairs and seasonal maintenance checklist.

Bring in a Roofing Expert

Roof work is never easy. The height, weather, and temperatures come together to make fixing your roof a difficult, dangerous job.

Fall can be the best time for roof repairs and replacement because:

  • End of a stormy season – Spring and summer can bring severe weather events that damage roofs. Assess any damage in the fall and determine whether a roofing service is necessary.
  • Conditions are perfect for roof work – Install roofing when the temperature is 45 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. This is especially true when installing asphalt shingles. Plus, the drier fall months are ideal for roof work because rain may cause delays that impact quality.
  • Ensure proper sealing – Installing new asphalt shingles in the fall gives them adequate time to bond to your roof before winter. Shingles installed in cold weather may take months to bond fully. This ensures proper home insulation from moisture and cold temperatures.
  • Save on heating – A fall re-roofing project ensures you benefit from better home insulation. For example, a new cool roof may help reduce your heating bills, offsetting a portion of the repair or renovation costs.

Porch and Deck Maintenance

A critical item in your fall home maintenance checklist can include performing safety checks on your deck and getting it ready for any wintry conditions.

Recommended activities include:

  • Checking your porch and deck railings, stairs, and supports.
  • Clean your porch and deck furniture and inspect for required repairs. Place covers on outdoor barbecues and outdoor furniture, and store them in a protected area.
  • Empty soil from planters and pots. Dirt in the pots may freeze and cause them to crack when left outside.

Winterize Sidewalks and Driveway

Salt, ice, and snow can affect your asphalt and concrete surfaces. Help to ensure they are ready for winter with these tips:

  • Pluck out weeds or grass that spring up throughout your sidewalks or driveway.
  • Use a concrete sealer to fix sizable gaps in your sidewalks, a concrete caulk to fix hairline cracks, and an asphalt crack sealer for your asphalt driveway. This will help prevent damage from salt and snow.
  • Pressure wash the driveway before the temperature hits below 40 degrees. This helps your driveway get cleaned up so it doesn’t have all the previous dirt as well as harsh winter weather, mud, and salt on top of that. If you do this before the temperature is under 40 degrees, the water won’t freeze as you spray it, protecting your equipment from damage due to cold weather. This also protects you or your family from slipping on the cold water or even ice that will occur in colder temperatures.

Check on Your Fireplace

Also, consider inspecting the fireplace flue to make sure the damper works properly. Check for leaves, branches, birds’ nests, and other obstructions.

Fireplace deposits are combustible and can burn at over 2,000 degrees. The temperature can destroy the chimney’s liner or even cause a home fire. You may want to bring in a professional chimney cleaner to inspect it and clear it for safety.

Check on the Heating System

You may also want to add inspecting and maintenance of your HVAC system to your checklist. Your older furnace may have an efficiency rating between 56% and 70%, so consider replacing it with an Energy Star certified unit to achieve efficiency levels of 98.5%.

If replacement is not in the budget, consider these HVAC maintenance tips:

  • Check the air filter in the furnace and confirm its efficiency before cold weather sets in.
  • Stock up on extra air filters to take you through winter and change them monthly.
  • Call in an HVAC professional to inspect and give your system a tune-up to ensure the unit is safe to use.
  • If you don’t have one, you may want to install a programmable thermostat to lower your energy consumption and keep the thermostat at a set level in frigid weather.
  • Dust off your HVAC’s heating ducts and vents.

Additionally, you can inspect your windows for leaks that may compromise your HVAC’s heating efficiency. To solve any leaks, you can use a plastic sealing kit and place it around a window if you feel cold air coming in. Also, you may want to inspect your doors and replace weather stripping where necessary.

Review Your Safety Features

Finally, you can perform a thorough review of your home’s safety features at least once a year. Fall is also an excellent time for the family to review their fire evacuation plan.

Here are some common safety devices you may want to check:

  • Smoke and CO detectors – Consider replacing batteries and vacuum the detectors using a soft brush attachment. Hold a smoke source near the unit or press the test button to test your detectors.
  • Fire extinguishers – If your home has at least one fire extinguisher for all types of fires, think about checking to see if the extinguisher is charged, as shown on the pressure gauge indicator. You can replace any extinguishers older than six years and mark the date of purchase on a new unit using a permanent marker.
  • Emergency generator – You may want to purchase an emergency generator if you are in an area that experiences ice storms. If you have one, empty longstanding fuel and give it a test run. Keep gasoline in tanks out of children’s reach.
  • Review your fire evacuation plan – You may want to ensure that furniture and other items are not blocking windows. Also, consider keeping a rope ladder near each upper-floor bedroom window for emergency exits. Review your fire escape plan and arrange a safe meeting place outside your home.
  • Cleanup – Consider removing leftover hazardous household chemicals and accumulations of old newspapers.

Add Winter Suppliers to Your Checklist

Think about stocking up on and inspecting your snow removal tools and supplies. A few inventory tasks to include in your emergency kit in the fall may include:

  • Checking tire chains for broken links and rFall is the perfect opportunity to tackle basic chores that will help make winter even more cheerful and avoid unpleasant surprises later. Here is a helpful fall home maintenance checklist, so you can help ensure your yard and home are ready for winter.

    Stay Ahead with this Handy Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

    As the last of summer’s heat becomes a distant memory, it’s time to consider preparing your home to withstand any winter frostbite. Think about adding these items to your must-do home repairs and seasonal maintenance checklist.

    Bring in a Roofing Expert

    Roof work is never easy. The height, weather, and temperatures come together to make fixing your roof a difficult, dangerous job.

    Fall can be the best time for roof repairs and replacement because:

    • End of a stormy season – Spring and summer can bring severe weather events that damage roofs. Assess any damage in the fall and determine whether a roofing service is necessary.
    • Conditions are perfect for roof work – Install roofing when the temperature is 45 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. This is especially true when installing asphalt shingles. Plus, the drier fall months are ideal for roof work because rain may cause delays that impact quality.
    • Ensure proper sealing – Installing new asphalt shingles in the fall gives them adequate time to bond to your roof before winter. Shingles installed in cold weather may take months to bond fully. This ensures proper home insulation from moisture and cold temperatures.
    • Save on heating – A fall re-roofing project ensures you benefit from better home insulation. For example, a new cool roof may help reduce your heating bills, offsetting a portion of the repair or renovation costs.

    Porch and Deck Maintenance

    A critical item in your fall home maintenance checklist can include performing safety checks on your deck and getting it ready for any wintry conditions.

    Recommended activities include:

    • Checking your porch and deck railings, stairs, and supports.
    • Clean your porch and deck furniture and inspect for required repairs. Place covers on outdoor barbecues and outdoor furniture, and store them in a protected area.
    • Empty soil from planters and pots. Dirt in the pots may freeze and cause them to crack when left outside.

    Winterize Sidewalks and Driveway

    Salt, ice, and snow can affect your asphalt and concrete surfaces. Help to ensure they are ready for winter with these tips:

    • Pluck out weeds or grass that spring up throughout your sidewalks or driveway.
    • Use a concrete sealer to fix sizable gaps in your sidewalks, a concrete caulk to fix hairline cracks, and an asphalt crack sealer for your asphalt driveway. This will help prevent damage from salt and snow.
    • Pressure wash the driveway before the temperature hits below 40 degrees. This helps your driveway get cleaned up so it doesn’t have all the previous dirt as well as harsh winter weather, mud, and salt on top of that. If you do this before the temperature is under 40 degrees, the water won’t freeze as you spray it, protecting your equipment from damage due to cold weather. This also protects you or your family from slipping on the cold water or even ice that will occur in colder temperatures.

    Check on Your Fireplace

    Also, consider inspecting the fireplace flue to make sure the damper works properly. Check for leaves, branches, birds’ nests, and other obstructions.

    Fireplace deposits are combustible and can burn at over 2,000 degrees. The temperature can destroy the chimney’s liner or even cause a home fire. You may want to bring in a professional chimney cleaner to inspect it and clear it for safety.

    Check on the Heating System

    You may also want to add inspecting and maintenance of your HVAC system to your checklist. Your older furnace may have an efficiency rating between 56% and 70%, so consider replacing it with an Energy Star certified unit to achieve efficiency levels of 98.5%.

    If replacement is not in the budget, consider these HVAC maintenance tips:

    • Check the air filter in the furnace and confirm its efficiency before cold weather sets in.
    • Stock up on extra air filters to take you through winter and change them monthly.
    • Call in an HVAC professional to inspect and give your system a tune-up to ensure the unit is safe to use.
    • If you don’t have one, you may want to install a programmable thermostat to lower your energy consumption and keep the thermostat at a set level in frigid weather.
    • Dust off your HVAC’s heating ducts and vents.

    Additionally, you can inspect your windows for leaks that may compromise your HVAC’s heating efficiency. To solve any leaks, you can use a plastic sealing kit and place it around a window if you feel cold air coming in. Also, you may want to inspect your doors and replace weather stripping where necessary.

    Review Your Safety Features

    Finally, you can perform a thorough review of your home’s safety features at least once a year. Fall is also an excellent time for the family to review their fire evacuation plan.

    Here are some common safety devices you may want to check:

    • Smoke and CO detectors – Consider replacing batteries and vacuum the detectors using a soft brush attachment. Hold a smoke source near the unit or press the test button to test your detectors.
    • Fire extinguishers – If your home has at least one fire extinguisher for all types of fires, think about checking to see if the extinguisher is charged, as shown on the pressure gauge indicator. You can replace any extinguishers older than six years and mark the date of purchase on a new unit using a permanent marker.
    • Emergency generator – You may want to purchase an emergency generator if you are in an area that experiences ice storms. If you have one, empty longstanding fuel and give it a test run. Keep gasoline in tanks out of children’s reach.
    • Review your fire evacuation plan – You may want to ensure that furniture and other items are not blocking windows. Also, consider keeping a rope ladder near each upper-floor bedroom window for emergency exits. Review your fire escape plan and arrange a safe meeting place outside your home.
    • Cleanup – Consider removing leftover hazardous household chemicals and accumulations of old newspapers.

    Add Winter Suppliers to Your Checklist

    Think about stocking up on and inspecting your snow removal tools and supplies. A few inventory tasks to include in your emergency kit in the fall may include:

    • Checking tire chains for broken links and rust;
    • Swap out your wiper blades for winter wiper blades;
    • Stock up on windshield wiper fluid, firewood, and sidewalk salt;
    • Swap snow tires when temperatures are below 45 degrees consistently; and
    • Prepare your snow removal equipment.

    Home Improvement Loans from Mariner Finance

    Do you need a loan to help with completing this fall home maintenance checklist? A home improvement loan could come in handy to cover the costs.

    Apply for a home improvement loan from Mariner Finance to ensure your home is ready for winter this fall.

    ust;

  • Swap out your wiper blades for winter wiper blades;
  • Stock up on windshield wiper fluid, firewood, and sidewalk salt;
  • Swap snow tires when temperatures are below 45 degrees consistently; and
  • Prepare your snow removal equipment.

Home Improvement Loans from Mariner Finance

Do you need a loan to help with completing this fall home maintenance checklist? A home improvement loan could come in handy to cover the costs.

Apply for a home improvement loan from Mariner Finance to ensure your home is ready for winter this fall.

The information provided in this article does not constitute financial advice and is provided for educational purposes only without any express or implied warranty of any kind. This article is not intended as legal, tax, investment, or any other advice, and Mariner Finance does not offer credit repair services. Consider talking with an appropriate qualified professional for specific advice. Blog posts are for informational purposes only.