Fall Home Maintenance Tips

Fall is here and there is no better time than now to get your home ready for the cooler weather to come.  Here are a few home maintenance tips to tackle before winter arrives.

Outside

Get outside and check your home’s exterior for any cracks in the foundation that may need to be repaired. Apply a new fine line of caulk where the brick meets siding if it is peeling away. Not only is this affordable to do, but it also prevents water from finding its way in which will result in freezing and cracks.

If you notice any paint peeling on the exterior of your home, it is no longer protected from the elements and could cause further deterioration.

Examine the roof for any loose or missing shingles. Be proactive in getting any damage to your roof fixed before the ice and snow of winter arrive. Check gutters and downspouts for blockage and debris.

Before winter arrives give your grill a thorough cleaning.  If you will be keeping your grill outdoors invest in a durable grill cover to protect it from winter elements.

Inside

Heating your home to a comfortable temperature in the fall can make up nearly 50 percent of your home’s energy costs.  To cut down costs you’ll want to prevent air leaks around windows and doors.  Apply new weather stripping and caulk to cut down on air leaks and your energy bill.

Another inside maintenance task to tackle is having a professional come out to do an annual inspection of your home’s heating system. This ensures it will work efficiently and will extend the life of it.

If you have ceiling fans in the home, change the direction that they are spinning. This will pull air upwards so that warm air will be distributed from the ceiling down.

Replace the batteries in all your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. After installing new batteries, test them to make sure they are still in working order.

Yard

Inspect your home’s yard and reseed any patch areas you find. Now is also the time to start planting flowering bulbs that will bloom in spring.  Drain water from your garden hoses and store them indoors.  In addition, you want to shut off water valves outdoors to prevent pipes from freezing.

Fall is the perfect time to buy or sell a home in the greater Oklahoma City area.  If you are in the market to buy or sell a home this summer we would love to help. Contact us at any time.

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