Fall Home Maintenance Tips

In just a matter of days, we’ll be saying so long to summer and hello to fall. While it’s true the weather may not reflect the transition from one season to another (although we’ve had a couple of chilly mornings recently), that shouldn’t stop us from getting our homes in tip-top shape before the threat of tornados and inclement weather arrive. With that in mind, here are a few fall home maintenance tips to consider.

Fall home maintenance tips for new & existing homeowners

• Service your HVAC system
  It’s not time to switch the HVAC from pushing out cold air to hot just yet but it will happen. Before the need to do so arrives, we highly recommend scheduling a cleaning and maintenance service for your system.
• Schedule a chimney cleaning
  Since soot build-up and other issues associated with a dirty chimney can be a fire hazard, it’s necessary to have your chimney cleaned before you light a fire this fall.
• Change the batteries in smoke alarms & carbon monoxide detectors
  If your alarms and detectors run on or have a backup battery, make sure you swap them out this fall. You should also test systems to determine if they are working properly. A word of caution, if your alarms and detectors are tied into your security system, you should probably let your security company know you are going to run a test.
• Prune dead branches
  Dead branches and other tree debris can cause damage to roofs, crack windows, and cause other issues on the exterior of the house. In order to prevent your trees from being the source of a problem, prune dead branches and trim healthy ones back so that they don’t touch your home. Side note, this will also deter insects that use these tree limbs as bridges to houses.
• Clean your gutters and downspouts
  Prevent water damage and/or water accumulation in your gutters and around the foundation of your home by cleaning out your gutters so that water can run freely through them. You should also make sure your downspouts are free of debris and that they point away from the foundation.
• Shut off and drain outdoor faucets
  Don’t give water a chance to freeze inside your pipes (which will burst if bad enough), rather shut off and drain your outdoor water faucets. You should also put hoses away to keep them in good shape for the next time they’re needed.
• Pest-proof your home
  Although we touched on this briefly above, you should seal every crack, gap, hole, and opening on the exterior of your home to keep rodents and insects from crawling in to find food and warm shelter when natural food sources run low and the temps dip.
• Repair your fence
  A good storm can knock down a fence that has seen better days. Before the threat increases this fall, repair or replace boards and consider staining to prevent water damage from occurring.
• Prepare your lawn for next spring
  To ensure your lawn grows thick and green next spring, make sure you have it aerated and fertilized sooner than later.

Moving this fall?

While our area of expertise does not necessarily lend itself to home maintenance, we are certainly ready to help you move into a new home this fall! Offering affordable and top-rated moving services in Mountain Brook, Hoover, and throughout Greater Birmingham as well as the Huntsville metro, our locally owned and family-operated moving company specializes in residential and commercial moves and is ready to go the distance whether that’s around the corner, down the street, or out of Alabama! Request a free moving estimate today or give us a call to discuss your moving needs.