We’re still currently in August, but before long September will be here, then late September, then October. By then, the Autumn will have truly arrived, giving us at least a month and a half to get everything in order before the cold weather comes again, and the nights start drawing in earlier.
Now is a great time to care for any home maintenance efforts you home to achieve, because the weather is mostly fine, contractors are available, and you don’t have to worry about heating in the home. Moreover, it’s a nice way to feel accomplished after the end of a busy summer, before the kids return to school and life goes back to normal.
But what are those maintenance efforts? Let’s discuss seven of them, below:
Clean Your Gutters
Now is the time to make sure your water runoff is well-maintained, and gutters are the best place to sort that out. That’s because all the leaves and debris that collect up there throughout the year can cause a lot of problems if they’re not removed before the heavy rains and snow of winter.
Clogged gutters can easily lead to water backing up under your roof, which can cause damage to your home’s exterior and its foundations too, if that water has nowhere to go. That often means it’s a good idea to make sure all of your downspouts are clear so that water can flow away from the house properly. A good way to do this without getting on a ladder is to use a powerful vacuum system like the PorterVac service, which can get all the gunk out quickly and safely.
Check Your Roof
If you don’t have a sturdy and structurally sound roof, the cold months are going to be pretty miserable. That’s why now is a great time for a thorough inspection before the weather gets too cold. You should be looking for any missing, cracked, or curled shingles that might have been damaged by the summer sun.
It’s also a good idea to check the flashing around any vents or chimneys to make sure they’re still sealed correctly. Though you might want to hire a professional to do a full inspection for you, that way you can feel confident that your roof is ready for whatever the colder months bring, and even think about other repairs to be made in advance, such as if any tiles are loose.
Inspect Your HVAC System
Before you need to turn on your furnace for the first time this season, you might want to give your HVAC system a little bit of attention. Having a professional come out and give it a good cleaning and a tune-up is a nice way to make sure that it’s going to run efficiently all winter long and you won’t have to feel frozen in some rooms if you removed the radiators to implement this system. HVAC is much more popular in the UK now, especially air conditioniners, and they can also be used to warm rooms up.
As far as ventilation goes, you could change the air filter yourself, which is a very easy task that can make a big improvement in the quality of the air in your home and how hard your system has to work.
Seal Up The House
Insulation is a part of sealing up the house, but it’s so obvious we won’t mention that hear. However, other exterior seals can be important too. For example, you can check for any drafts around your windows and doors by feeling for cold air or seeing if you can spot any gaps.
You could also use weather stripping on your doors or caulk around the window frames to close up any of these small openings. This has the added benefit of keeping the warm air in and the cold air out, which makes your heating system’s job a lot easier and it keeps you more comfortable even when the heating is off. Better yet, it’s a simple project that you can do over a weekend that gives you a nice sense of accomplishment as the summer closes.
Prepare Your Garden For Winter
Your garden needs a little bit of attention before the cold freezes it over and autumn is the perfect time to get it ready. If you have time, be sure to rake up all the fallen leaves since they can smother your lawn and create a home for pests if they’re left to pile up. It’s also wise to trim back any dead or dying plants in your garden beds.
You could also take a bit of time to get your outdoor furniture clean and stored away for the winter so it’s protected from the elements, and you won’t have to bother replacing them next year when the warmer weather comes out, which is a trap some people can fall into.
Check Your Fireplace & Chimney
If you have a fireplace in your home and you plan to use it this winter, it’s always smart to get it checked out first. A chimney can get a lot of soot buildup throughout a season of use, and this can be a fire hazard if it’s not cleaned out regularly, especially if you didn’t when the Spring came in last year.
You can easily hire a chimney sweep to inspect your chimney and fireplace to make sure they’re in good working order. They can check for any blockages or cracks and give you a clean slate for the winter so in case you want to use standard fire heating, you can. It’s a very important safety measure that helps you feel at ease when you’re enjoying a cozy fire on a cold evening.
Inspect The Foundation
Your home’s foundation is arguably its most important structural element, so before the ground freezes, it’s good to make sure all is accounted for.. This isn’t too complicated, but walk around the exterior of your house and look for any new cracks in the foundation or in the concrete around your home. You should also check for any signs of water pooling or poor drainage around the base of the house. Water can seep into the ground around your foundation and cause damage when it freezes and expands, as we alluded to above, and it’s so much better to spot a leak now than in the middle of December.
With this advice, we hope you can more easily manage your home maintenance before autumn arrives.
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