The crisp, fall weather will arrive before long, and when it does, you need to have your fall home maintenance list ready to be completed. It's important to get your home repairs completed and prepared your house for the harsh winter weather ahead. This way, you can relax in the warmth of your home knowing that pertinent areas of your home are functioning properly. Check out these tips to learn what tasks you need to complete before it starts to snow.
Clean and Maintain the Gutters
If your gutters and downspouts are clogged with leaves and other debris, it's difficult to water from your roof to flow away from your house. While clogged gutters should be a concern at any time of year, if your gutters are clogged in the winter, you may end up with ice dams forming on your roof, which can damage your roof, cause your walls or ceiling to leak, or tear your gutters away from your house. So, as part of your fall maintenance routine, make sure you remove any debris from your gutters. Then, use the hose to flush any debris out of the downspouts to make sure excess water is draining properly. Also, you should take a few minutes to inspect the gutters and downspouts to make sure there aren't any portions that aren't attached well.
Get an AC and Furnace Inspection
Call your local HVAC services company to get your furnace inspected before the cold weather arrives. This ensures your furnace is working properly, and there isn't anything that's restricting airflow through your home. When you HVAC technician has finished inspecting your furnace, you should consider having him inspect and clean your AC as well. This way, any repairs needed can be made right away and you'll have less to do in the spring.
Winterize the Your Pipes
Take the time to winterize the pipes underneath your bathroom and kitchen sinks so that they don't freeze on extremely cold nights. All you need to do is buy a few tubes for pipe insulation and cut them so that they fit perfectly around the pipes underneath the sinks. If needed, wrap duct tape around the insulation to hold it in place. If you're trying to insulate a pipe that curves upward, use two pieces of pipe insulation. You'll probably still be able to see some of the pipe where it curves, but two pieces should cover the majority of the top and bottom portion of the pipe.
Winterizing your home doesn't have to be hard. All you need to do is make a list that includes all of the random chores that you need to complete and start working.
Share13 July 2016
While sitting in my living room on a hot summer day, I could feel the heat coming through the ceiling out of my attic and making the house warm up more than it should. I crawled up into the attic one evening to find out that the roof vents weren't working any longer because they were clogged with all sorts of debris. Did you know that when this happens, your home's temperature can rise to very uncomfortable levels? Did you know that your home could actually be damaged if the attic isn't well vented? This blog will show you all about attic ventilation.