5 Ways to Fall-errize Your House in September

 Tanya LaRose  0comments  01.09.2022

As the season begins to change, it’s time to prep your home for falling leaves, cooler weather, and sadly…winter storms. Tackling a few fall home maintenance tasks now can help ward off issues later in the season, so you can enjoy everything you love about the fall worry-free. You’ll save money in the long run by preventing costly (and potentially dangerous) damage to your home. Follow this fall maintenance checklist for reminders on how to prepare your home for this upcoming season.

1. Clean your gutters.

Your roof’s drainage system annually diverts thousands of gallons of water from your house’s exterior and foundation walls, so it’s vital to keep this system flowing smoothly. Clogged gutters can lead to damaged exterior surfaces and water in your basement.

2. Seal up air leaks.

Gaps in caulk and weatherstripping let cold air into your warm home. Sealing up a drafty house can save up to 20% on your heating bills. Inspect windows and doors to find any gaps that need to be sealed.

3. Protect faucets from freezing temperatures

If you live in an area with freezing weather, take steps to ensure that outside faucets and in-ground irrigation systems don’t freeze and burst. First, close any shut-off valves serving outside faucets, then open the outside faucet to drain the line. (There may be a small cap on the faucet you can loosen to facilitate this draining.) Refer to the manufacturers guide on how to properly drain your system.

4. Freshen your furnace filter

Furnace filters trap dust that would otherwise be distributed throughout your home. Clogged filters make it harder to keep your home at a comfortable temperature and increasing your utility bills. Monthly cleaning is all it takes to keep these filters free of debris. Disposable filters can be vacuumed once before replacement. Foam filters can also be vacuumed, but they don’t need to be replaced unless they are damaged.

5. Clean your carpets

Fall is an ideal time to clean your carpets. The humid days of summer have passed, but the below-freezing days of winter have yet to arrive. It’s the best time to open windows for ventilation, which should speed the drying process