Home Services Checklist For Autumn

Fall is the time to begin completing your home services checklist to get your home ready for the cold weather. If you do, you can make it through the cold months without any unwanted surprises. Take care of all must-do repairs on your seasonal maintenance checklist. Being proactive can help you make it through the cold months without facing unnecessary home repair emergencies.

1. Clean The Gutters

Clean gutters enable your roof’s drainage system to safely divert water away from your home’s exterior walls and foundation. Clogged gutters can cause damage to your home’s exterior surfaces and let water get into your basement and foundation and do serious damage. Autumn is the time to thoroughly clean your gutters and cover them with some mesh gutter guards that will keep the debris from getting in them and causing clogs.

2. Seal Up All Air Leaks

Air leaks around your home’s windows and doors let cold air in, and warm air out, which can make your home drafty, and increase your heating bill by as much as 20%. Thoroughly inspect f your home and use caulk and weather stripping to plug up the holes. That’s a cost-effective way to control your heating and cooling costs and keep your home comfortable year-round. Caulk and weather-stripping deteriorate over time. , Even if you sealed it last year, inspect all windows and doors and seal those that need it. Hold a lighted candle near the frame of your windows and doors. If air from outside makes the flame flicker, you have an air leak that needs clogging.

3. Inspect The Roof

A leaky roof can cause major problems when the weather outside is cold and wet. Inspect your roof from top to bottom now to identify leaks. Look closely for cracks, rotting, wind damage, curled, loose or missing shingles. Examine the flashing around the vents and chimneys and in the valleys. See if there are lots of granules in the gutter. That

is a sign that the coating on the roof is coming off and will cause problems later. Make sure there are no twigs, leaves, trash, or damage in the gutter that will stop the wastewater from flowing out and may rot the fascia and damage the roof.

4. Service Your Furnace

Now is the time to check, clean, service, or change your furnace filter to make sure it does not clog or fail. Have the furnace professionally inspected and serviced, replace noisy belts, and address poor performance to make sure the burners, blower motors, heating ducts, and thermostats are all working properly.

5. Deep Clean Carpets and Floors

It is a good idea to remove the summer’s dirt and allergens from your floors in the fall. Dirt that has built up on carpets and floors will wear them out more quickly. Remove what’s already there before winter strikes. Consult with a Melbourne, FL carpet cleaning service. 

If you do those things, there is less chance your home will need an avoidable emergency repair when the weather gets cold.