FALL HOME MAINTENANCE TIPS AN OWNER SHOULD PERFORM

Each season home maintenance should be performed to prevent structural damage, save energy and keep your home’s systems running properly. To protect your home investment, try to follow an annual routine and you will discover that the work is easy and not very time consuming. By following a healthy maintenance schedule you will receive years of trouble free service from your home and avoid costly and unnecessary repairs.  To winterize your home, these are the most important items to attend to in the Fall.

Outdoors:

• Deadhead plants, weed and rake leaves
• Mulch over perennials and protect young or sensitive trees
• Prune overgrown shrubs and trees
• Store outdoor furniture
• Shut off outdoor hose connections; Drain and store hoses
• Clean eavestroughs, downspouts and clear leaves from all vents
• Check chimneys for any obstructions such as nests
• Ensure that all ground slopes away from the home – check settling
• Cover outside air-conditioner units and shut off power
• Check all doors and windows and repair any weatherstripping
• Visually inspect all exterior flashing’s and caulked joints for any openings and re-caulk as necessary

Indoors:

• Consider removing interior screens from windows to provide frost free air flow around windows
• Check that all bath fans operate properly and to clean any hood fan filters
• Check and test your sump pump and ensure discharge lines are clear
• Check all fire and CO2 alarms and replace batteries
• Test all ground-fault breakers
• Clean furnace, heat recovery unit filters and replace if required
• Check all pilot lights for furnaces and fireplaces and check operation
• Bleed air from radiators (hot water heating systems)
• Have your furnace or heating system serviced by a qualified service company every two years and clean ducts as required

Following a regular schedule of maintenance will save you energy, avoid costly repairs and provide you peace of mind over the winter months. If you have any questions about maintenance and ways to protect your home investment, don’t hesitate to contact us. At Sano Stante Real Estate we have a team of real estate experts that can help you get the most from your real estate investment.