With fall now in full swing, it’s time to make sure that your home is in perfect shape to handle the season. Fall is a transitional season in which many Americans will start to see a dive in temperatures, which leads to a change in how your home should operate.
Giving your home a little bit of tender, love, and care will go a long way to not only making it through the cooler months but also saving money on costly maintenance in case things go awry. So if you want to make sure that your home is ready for fall, consider using these 21 super easy tips.
1. Check Your Roof
Making sure your roof is up to par goes a long way to keeping your home comfortable during autumn. Make sure that you do a visual check on the roof, either by looking through some binoculars or going on the roof physically, in a safe manner, of course.
Finding shingles that are either damaged or loose can go a long way in saving you some coin on a roof repair in the future. Also, if you have a flat roof, make sure leaves and debris are cleaned out to ensure proper drainage.
It is recommended that you have your roof inspected in the fall by any of your local roofing services to ensure that everything is in order.
2. Make Sure Gutters Are Cleaned
With the coming of snow, it’s important to make sure that your gutters are clear to handle the drainage. If you’re not comfortable getting on a roof, contact gutter installation services to get a professional to ensure your gutters are free from debris that could block the drainage from the roof.
3. Program Your Thermostat
It is no secret that keeping your home warm and comfy is of the utmost importance in making sure your place is fall-ready. To save money on your heating bill, make sure your thermostat is programed between 70-and-78 degrees, even if you live in a temperate state such as Texas. Also, call a heating repair company to ensure that your heating system is ready for the season.
4.Get Your Heating Unit Inspected
While making sure the thermostat can handle the pressure, it’s highly important to ensure that your heating unit is in perfect working order. It wouldn’t do you any good to have your heater break down when the temperature starts to drop. If you can’t do it yourself, have your heating unit inspected by a licensed HVAC repair company before you switch it on for the fall, ensuring that the unit will work properly.
5. Make Sure Your Heating Unit Is Financed
You need to have financing to make sure your home is in sound shape, and the same goes for your heating unit. Having HVAC financing will allow you to keep your unit maintenance and repair. Make sure to shop around for a great financing company that will offer your favorable rates, just as you would any other type of insurance.
6. Have Your Home Ready For Power Outages
Snowstorms (or, in the case of the South, ice storms) can cause power outages that will cause you to lose power temporarily. Fall is the best time to make sure that you have a backup power source just in case the power goes out in your home. Investing in a generator will allow you to keep the lights on and avoid any sneaky surprises that will cause you to take a cold shower.
7. Keep Your Home Insulated
The weather will find any way it can to sneak into your home, which is where having proper insulation comes into play. Make sure that everything, from crawl spaces to the windows, is properly insulated from the coming cool weather. If you can do it on your own, that will surely save you some money, but if not, consult local insulation services to make sure your home is properly insulated from outside conditions.
8. Get That Firewood Ready
One of the simpler ways to keep your home warm for the season is to utilize your fireplace. Not only will this save you money, but will also give your house a homey touch and feel! According to HGTV, fall is the perfect time to make sure your firewood stockpile is full and ready to go once the temperatures start to tumble. Keep a firewood rack outside your home, and make sure that the rack is easy to carry the wood inside once you’re ready for your fireplace.
9. Organize The Garage Or Tool Shed
No one really loves to organize a garage or tool shed, but it’s necessary to make sure all of the tools you’ll need for the coming cooler months are easy to obtain. Keep your garage or shed free of clutter and make sure your tools are organized so that it can easily be reached when the time comes for those tools to be utilized. Nothing is worse than trying to hunt for a snow shovel or blower when it’s 20 degrees outside.
10. Give Your Lawn Some TLC
Not only should your home be ready for the fall, but your lawn should be as well. Giving your lawn some TLC will go a long way to keeping your front and back yard looking spiffy once the warm air returns. According to Brightside, make sure that your lawn is fertilized to prevent your yard from getting damaged in the winter. Cold and snow can wreak all sorts of havoc on your lawn, so make sure that you keep it fertilized in the fall so that it can stand tall to Old Man Winter.
11. Make Sure Your Air Conditioner Is In Top Shape
It may seem a little bit crazy to keep your air conditioner humming when it’s colder than an ice bath outside, but doing so will save you a ton of headaches down the road. This tip is equally important for those who live in states where the winter weather is a bit more moderate, but those in colder states should also ensure that the AC unit is in working order as well by contacting a licensed HVAC maintenance company. Also, if you have a window AC unit, make sure to keep them covered up to prevent it from leaking during the winter.
12. Reinforce Those Windows and Doors
If your windows and doors are still in summer mode, fall is the time to winterize them. Make sure the windows and doors in your home are sealed up so that the air from the outside doesn’t seep into your warm, cozy home. This simple, yet smart tip will save you a bundle on heating costs.
13.Service And Close Down Your Pool For The Season
If you live in a colder climate, then fall is the time to wrap up the pool parties and get it ready for winter hibernation. Make sure that the pool is cleaned and serviced so that not much maintenance is needed before spring returns. Consult with a pool company to make sure your water haven is properly maintained, but if you can do it yourself, that will save you some serious money for the first cookout to kick off the spring!
14. Trim Those Trees and Bushes
Trees and bushes love the summer because it allows them to grow, but that same growth can really be a pain in the wintertime.
That’s because those tree branches can get awfully close to power lines, and during a winter storm, those branches can come down and plunge your home into darkness. So the fall is the best time to do something about that.
Make sure your trees and bushes are trimmed back so they won’t do any damage to your home nor knock the power out. There are tree trimming companies available to do the job for you, but if you’re a penny pincher and have the tools, it may be best to do the job yourself.
15. Make Your Bedroom A Bit More Comfortable
Now that summer is gone and the cooler weather is on the way, fall is the best time to make sure that you have a comfy bedroom to get you through those long, cold winter days.
Make sure that you wash your comforters and sheets, and put them in a place where they can be easily obtainable. That way, when the chill really comes in, you’ll be snuggled in comfort while binge-watching your favorite show.
16. Bring Your Flower Pots Inside
No one needs to tell a gardener that winter is not kind to plants.
So now that fall has descended, this is the best time to bring your precious flowerpots inside for the season. If you’re one of those people that switch up their flowers every season, wash and clean your pots so that it will be ready to go by the time the spring arrives.
17. Make Sure Those Sprinklers Are In Tip-Top Shape
For colder-climate homeowners, it’s important to make sure your sprinklers are maintenance now before the chill sets in. This will ensure that your sprinkler and irrigation system are checked and repaired so that it will work properly when the snow thaws out. This is also important for homeowners in warmer climates, as proper maintenance will continue to keep those sprinklers humming along during the cooler months.
18. Put That Summer Furniture Away
While fall presents a little more time for you to keep the patio furniture out and enjoy the changing of the leaves, it may be best to put them away for the coming winter.
The fall season presents the perfect time to clean the cushions and furniture. Once that’s done, make sure to store them in a dry spot so that it will be ready to be placed out once again when spring arrives.
Even if you live in a temperate climate such as Florida, this season will still present the best time to clean your outdoor furniture so that you can avoid cleaning it in cooler weather.
19. Plant Those Flower Bulbs
While taking your flowers and plants inside for the winter is always recommended, certain plants can survive the wintertime outside.
While the weather still allows it, now is the time to put those plant bulbs in the ground. The reason for this, according to lawnstarter.com, is so your flowerbed can get a nice spring color at the first hint of fall.
These plant bulbs normally grow quickly, so fall will be the best time to get them into the ground so that, when the winter thaws out, the flowers will get a headstart on growing, bringing life to your yard after spending months buried under snow and cold.
20. Make Sure Your Safety Devices Are Working Properly
You’ll never know when an emergency might strike in your home during the winter, so fall is the best time to make sure your safety devices are working properly.
Check and replace the batteries in all of your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, so that, if something does go wrong, you and your family are alerted and prepared.
21.Make Sure Drafts Are Coming Inside Of Your Home
You don’t want your snuggly, cozy home to succumb to the elements of Old Man Winter, so make sure that he stays out as much as possible.
The best way to do this is by checking for drafts at windows and doors. If you feel some wind seeping in, seal it up or contact any of your local insulation installation services so that your home will stay warm from the cold weather.
Using these 21 super easy tips will assure you that your home is ready to go for autumn and winter. No one wants to do these things when the mercury begins to drop, so doing it during the fall will surely be the best time to make sure your home is in top shape.
Doing these steps will save you a lot of stress and money and put you and your family at ease knowing your home is ready for the season, and also giving you more time to enjoy the colorful leaves that will carpet the neighborhood.
