Fall Home Maintenance

Fall is just around the corner in a few short weeks so why not enjoy the last of the beautiful weather by preparing your home for the changing season?! After all, your home is most likely your largest asset so it's a really good idea to keep it in the best shape possible, both for your living enjoyment and for getting the most money out of it when you decide it's time to sell!

1. Clean, or possibly replace, your gutters.

Real talk: You're so used to your gutters working properly — and draining thousands of gallons of water from your roof yearly — that you forget they could use a little TLC. If they're clogged, you can end up with a flooded interior and damaged exterior. So clean or replace them if necessary.

2. Check for drafts.

Heat loss through windows is responsible for 25-30% of heating energy use, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. But it doesn't have to be that way, because weatherstripping is simple and probably the most cost-effective way to keep heating costs down.

3. Drain your outdoor faucets.

Say it with me now: "I will turn off all outdoor faucets before winter!" Drain and disconnect all garden hoses from outside spigots to prevent any water freezing. Not doing this can result to pipes bursting, so yeah, do this now to avoid future headache.

4. Bring your outdoor furniture in.

Yes, your furniture is outdoor furniture. No, that does not mean you should test the label by leaving it outside through hurricane-like weather and snowstorms. It cost you money and time to set that outdoor space up, so if you want to get another summer season out of it you should store it in a garage, a shed, or at least cover it with waterproof furniture covers if you don't have extra space. We ordered ours through Wayfair and have been happy with them holding up!

5. Fix any cracks in your driveway.

I know, I know — this seems tedious and is one of those things where you're like, "eh, it'll be fine!" But, it could very easily not be fine. When water gets into cracks it freezes, expands, and can make the crack even bigger. Enough small cracks can turn into big cracks, and eventually the concrete can crumble. Plus, uh, you'd probably prefer a driveway without a giant pothole. So, using concrete crack sealer, fill it up and be done with it.

6. Change your filters.

Found: Another thing in your house that might be costing you more money then it should be. If your filters are clogged, it's harder to keep your home at the temperature you want it to be, which will increase your heating bills. Clean these filters monthly, not just before the fall, and thank me later. FYI: Disposable filters can be vacuumed one time before you replace it, and foam filters can just be vacuumed and not replaced. You can also just buy the super cheap ones and replace the first day of each month.

7. Fertilize your lawn.

You know what they say: The best offense is a good defense. If you want to keep your lawn looking great in the spring and summer, you need to prep it for the fall and winter. Roots are still active when the grass isn't growing, so applying fertilizer will prevent winter damage. Doing this will also help your lawn turn green faster in the spring, which is crucial, because who wants to look at a sad lawn once it gets nice out?

I hope these tips help keep your homes in excellent condition, which makes them more enjoyable to live in and easier to sell later down the road.

Kylie

Suggestions from: www.housebeautiful.com