How To Prepare Your Home For Fall
/How To Prepare Your Home For Fall
As soon as school buses start picking up the kids for the new school year, you know what’s lying ahead. It’s the coming of fall, with days getting shorter and the nights cooler. You can see the leaves start falling and feel a chilly breeze move in.
Every season comes with its own challenges including fall. The rakes are going to come out and the chores pile up based on the weather. So here are a few ways to make sure that your home is ready for fall before it strikes.
There are things that need to be done both inside and outside of the house. For starters, make sure that things inside of the house are ready for you for a comfortable home.
Interior Preparation
· Adjustable Thermostat
Having an adjustable thermostat is a saving grace for cooler days. It lets you stay outside in cooler weather with the comfort of coming to a nice warm home. If you already have a thermostat located in your house, keep the temperature low when you go outside or for the night. This can save you a lot of money.
· Ready Your Humidifiers
Don’t start using your humidifiers unless their filters are replaced or cleaned. It would be easier if replaced but proper cleaning may yet last you another season. Test them before putting them into daily use, so you know beforehand whether you need to get a new one. Better to know before buying a last minute humidifier at a higher price.
· Search for any Drafts
There may be an opening somewhere by the window or a cracked wall. Try finding them before the chilly fall wind blows. Use a candle or a thin piece of paper to check for drafts. If they flicker at some point around the walls, there is an opening waiting to be closed. Get insulated curtains for drafty windows or have the cracks filled beforehand.
· Cozy up the House
Start pulling out your fluffy blankets and squishy cushions so you can place them where they need to be. On the bed, by the couch, in front of the TV, anywhere you feel there is going to be more interaction. Family rooms should feel comfortable and welcoming so that the family actually uses it.
· Wash your Windows
You’ll never get that beautiful view of delicately falling leaves swooping down to litter the grass if you have smudges all over your glass windows. Clean the windows, and be generous about it because you won’t want to get up and do it again in the winter.
· Goodbye Air Conditioners
Air conditioners need to be stashed away or covered for the rest of the year. You don’t want them to get ruined so if they are windowed conditioners, keep them covered and check them to make sure no animals find their way in. It is better to occasionally just let the air conditioner run for a while, so no long time problems occur when you need them.
· Safety Check
This should be seasonal or a semi-annual practice, but check all of your alarms. Your smoke detector, home security system, and fire drill run should all be ready. Having checked everything, don’t forget to monitor their batteries and replace old ones just in case.
Outdoor Preparation
· Protect your Home from the Top
Fall is a good time to carry out an annual roof check. Administer a visual inspection of the roof looking for any damaged shingles, flashing or vents. Keep the roof clear of leaves and other debris that can potentially retain moisture and damage roofing materials.
· Clean out the Gutters
Not exactly a favorite chore on the list, this one needs to be tackled on a priority basis. Check your home’s gutters and eavestroughs for blockage. Make it a shared chore and ensure you have a safe way to get up there. You can hire professional help for the first clean so you can be sure that it is as clean as it gets.
· Outdoor Water Drainage
Check your drainage outside to make sure that you won’t have water soaking into the walls or the basement. Downspouts need to be cleared out for the weather ahead. Hoses and faucets should be turned off and put away as well because you don’t want spring to start with frozen hoses and pipes.
· Check Your Trees
Fall is a windy season and you don’t want that leaning tree to finally fall down on your chimney. Check all of your trees for leering branches and loose trunks threatening the power lines. Also, make sure that none of the surrounding trees leave too many twigs or branches on the rooftop, or clog drains or gutters on the roof.
· Clean the Chimney
Hire someone to do it, or do it yourself. Ensure no birds have made a nest in there and there isn’t soot and ash from last year. Check your fireplace as well. It should be clear of last year’s decay so no unexpected fuel sparks a fire.
· Rake the Leaves
As fun as it is to jump in the leaves, they’ll need to be cleared out eventually. Find out the local community pick-up schedule for compost and collect your week’s compost including the leaves. Make raking the yard a shared chore so no one has to spend every day outside all day cleaning up Mother Nature’s mess.
· Seasonal Furniture
All seasonal furniture used in the spring and summer should be stashed away for next year. The garage should be prioritized to have all fall and winter essentials up front so they’re easily accessible. And while you’re at it, try finding the Christmas and Halloween decorations before your kids remind you.
· Close Down the Pool
The pool should now be off limits because it is too cold to go out in your bathing suit. Do a last clean of the pool’s surface and drain out the water so it doesn’t freeze. Once drained, cover it securely so no twigs and leaves make a home there for a few months.
Conclusion
Taking care of these fall essentials will have your home fall-ready in no time. If you do these well ahead of time, you’ll rest better knowing that maintenance is out of the way. You can enjoy the rest of the summer days with no worries about your home’s upkeep needs.
