Best Ways To Prepare Your Home For The Fall Season
Most people happily anticipate the autumn season. It provides a break from the heat of summer, and it comes with action-packed football games, fun pumpkin carvings, and beautiful foliage.
However, along with all these positive traits of fall, there are also concerns. With the autumn season comes an increase in cooler temperatures and messy yards and properties. Homeowners can deal with these issues quickly and easily if they know how to prepare for winter. The best way to go about this task is to create a fall checklist for home maintenance. This way, they can ensure that they are prepared for the cold weather that lies ahead.
Fall Checklist Home Maintenance For Homeowners
Contents
1. Schedule a Tune-Up For Your Heating System
Mercury starts to plunge in the fall and will continue to do so throughout winter. This means that your heater is necessary in order to enjoy indoor warmth throughout these seasons. Therefore, it is essential that your heating unit can function efficiently and reliably.
Certified HVAC professionals are the only individuals qualified to provide a tune-up for your heater each year. Technicians can inspect the heating unit and make minor repairs if necessary. Maintenance tasks include lubrication, routine cleaning, and other activities to ensure that you have a safe and energy-efficient heating system in your home this season.
2. Schedule A Heating Oil Delivery
If your furnace runs on oil, contact your oil supplier to schedule a delivery. If the heating system has been in use for several years, it will not be difficult to estimate how much fuel is needed. If you’re unsure, consult the delivery company. Regardless, it is important to have a full tank before the first cold snap.
3. Improve Energy Efficiency By Sealing Gaps Around Windows And Doors
Regardless of how well your heating system works, it’s all for nothing if the hot air merely escapes through gaps in windows and doors. This means that in order to keep the temperature ideal, the unit must run longer and use more fuel. For this reason, always check gaps around windows and doors. Use weather stripping, caulking, window film, and other materials to seal any gaps you find. Even simple things like using insulated curtains help improve energy efficiency.
4. Change Your Carbon Monoxide And Smoke Alarm Batteries
Heating units can emit dangerous carbon monoxide and smoke. To limit damage in your home and to your person, they must be detected as soon as possible. Carbon monoxide can be fatal, and smoke and fire damage can harm your home as well as its inhabitants. Now that you are getting ready to reactivate your heating unit for the winter, you should replace the batteries in these alarms.
5. Check Driveways, Exterior Stairs, and Walkways For Safety Issues
Winter is not far away and to ensure safety, you should check all parts of your property that are vulnerable to the elements. These include driveways, railings, stairs, and walkways. Fix anything that is broken prior to the first snowfall. The driveway should be in good condition to make snow shoveling easier. Railings should be reliable and sturdy.
6. Care For Shrubs And Trees
Trees look beautiful in the fall as they change color, and this change is also an indicator of their good health. However, if the leaves change color earlier than normal or if you notice that many of the branches are dead, hire an arborist to determine if you are dealing with plant diseases.
7. Rake Leaves
In early autumn, when leaves begin to fall, you may notice that they make a beautiful covering on the ground. For this reason, you may decide to simply allow them to accumulate while you do other things.
However, if you wait too long and the leaves become covered in snow, it may inhibit spring growth. Therefore, it is best to rake and remove the leaves in a timely manner.
8. Clean Downspouts And Gutters
Branches and dead leaves do not only fall on the ground, but they may also land in the gutters and on your roof. This can be a serious issue, particularly if the flow of water is blocked. Rotting leaves and branches also attract pests, so make sure you clean the downspouts and gutters occasionally. If your gutters are too high to reach, simply hire a professional to complete the task.
9. Repair The Exterior Of Your Home
While you are attending to gutters and downspouts, you should also look for any signs of damage on your roof. The same should be done with the home’s foundation and siding.
All these components are subjected to a tremendous amount of environmental stress,. Therefore, the exterior is more susceptible to damage than the inside of your home. If problems are discovered, make sure they are repaired prior to winter.
10. Turn off All Exterior Faucets, Drain Hoses, & Cover Spigots
Finally, shut off all exterior faucets and store garden hoses in an appropriate place. Cover all outdoor spigots. This will help ensure that your pipes do not freeze.
Water should not be allowed to flow to these outdoor fixtures, as it can lead to plumbing system damage as the water expands and freezes. Make sure you drain all these components before the temperature takes a dive.
Call Tower Energy For All Of Your Home Comfort Needs
Tower Energy supplies affordable and incredibly reliable HVAC solutions and services. Our NATE-certified team of home comfort and heating experts can provide the help you need whenever your furnace requires servicing and repairs. Our HVAC services are guaranteed to improve comfort in your home, and the overall air quality indoors. These treatments will also increase the energy efficiency of your heating system to allow for lower utility costs.
Tower Energy also specializes in heating oil deliveries. We offer different fuel delivery options and payment plans. This way, you can customize your delivery to meet your needs. When using our oil delivery services, you can count on fast delivery times and the best heating oil prices in the area.
Set your appointment up today by calling Tower Energy right now.
Contact us now or call us at (860) 677-7347 to find out more.