Homeowner Hacks:

How To Gear Your Home This Fall

In preparation for the fall and winter seasons, there are a variety of actions homeowners can take to stay as proactive as possible. While the days become shorter and the temperature plummets, it’s important to consider how your home will hold up through this period. Use these homeowner hacks to best prepare your property for these upcoming seasonal changes.

Clear Your Outdoor Furniture

A lot of homeowners like to keep certain furniture pieces outdoors during the warmer months. Analyze the exterior of your home for any pieces of furniture that could potentially be ruined by inclement weather. Begin by clearing out any outdoor furniture before the hard rain hits. Make sure to grab any piece of furniture that can be ruined, even if it’s deemed specifically for outdoor use. This means you shouldn’t test the label by leaving a piece outside through windy weather and especially snowstorms.

It’s essential to consider available storage space when trying to protect your outdoor furniture. You spend time, money, and energy to set up your outdoor space, so in order to get another summer season out of it, you should store them in a shed or garage. If you don't have anywhere to store the items, consider waterproof furniture covers. This can preserve the longevity and integrity of your furniture by protecting it from hurricane-like rain.

Clean Gutters & Roofing

Another hack that homeowners should consider is revisiting their gutters along with their roofing. Review both as you prepare, as these are essential aspects of attacking the unpredictable conditions in the cooler months. Neglecting these parts of your home can result in a variety of property infrastructure issues. If your gutters are clogged by pounds of leaves and debris, you can end up with a flooded interior and a damaged exterior.

Some homeowners tend to forget that their gutters drain thousands of gallons of water from their roofs yearly. Check your roof for any leaks, cracks, or flaws. It might be time for either a roofing repair or a roofing replacement. If applicable, hire a professional roofing contractor to replace your roofing in time for torrential downpour season. It’s best to combat them now before it affects your interior permanently.

Tune Up Your Heating System

The third homeowner hack to consider in preparation for the cooler season is to investigate your heating system. A proactive way to prepare for the fall is to get a heating system tune-up. It’s important to consistently inspect and maintain your heating system to prevent any prolonged issues. Find an HVAC technician to analyze your current system. 

Three of the most common home heating systems are gas, oil, and pump heating systems. These systems differ in a variety of ways, especially in terms of maintenance and efficiency. If your home has a gas or oil heating system, it’s imperative to consistently clean the flue pipes along with the base of the chimney. For a heating pump system, there are a lot more moving parts. For this system, you will need to exchange the air filters, when dirty these can negatively impact efficiency and airflow. To protect your heating systems, invest in a home warranty plan. This plan can prevent extended situations of heating failure by eliminating the middleman when a problem arises. For both newer systems and older systems, it’s critical to have coverage that will give you peace of mind through the fall and into the winter.

Fertilize Your Lawn

In order to prepare for the fall and into the next few seasons, fertilize your lawn. One of the best ways to keep grass attractive on the surface and healthy down into its roots is to fertilize.  But, it’s important to know that lawn care goes beyond striving for a look and feel. Lawns can improve air quality, reduce heat by 20 to 30 degrees and generate oxygen. That’s another reason why we need to ensure lawns stay healthy. Most importantly, it’s critical to note that roots are still active when the grass growth is halted, so applying fertilizer will prevent any winter damage. 

Right now is the most important fertilization time of the year, not at the beginning of the spring, contrary to popular belief. If you wish to keep your lawn looking sleek in the spring and into summer, it’s best to prepare in the season before. If you do need assistance when finding the right fertilizer, find a professional landscaping contractor to help decide which fertilizer is the best for you. They can also provide instructions to you on how to lay the fertilizer in the most effective way. If you use a landscaping service, check-in with them to see what fertilizer they plan on using.

Fill Cracks In Your Driveway

This last task may seem more tedious than the rest but can maintain the value of your property. Many homeowners underestimate the importance of resealing any cracks and holes in your driveway. When water gets into cracks, it freezes and expands, making the crack even bigger. Enough small cracks can turn into big cracks, and eventually, the concrete can crumble. Try to avoid large potholes in your driveway by sealing in the fall before winter sets in.

It may seem rather daunting to reseal in the fall, but it is best to complete it now rather than later on. Try seal coating – this process is a very reliable investment and can help prevent costly repairs down the road. If you have asphalt paving, a seal coating can prevent the cycle of expansion and contraction, thus limiting the number of cracks in your driveway. If you don’t know where to start, contact a professional driveway paving service. They can analyze your driveway, and give you advice on the best way to prevent flaws that can affect the foundation of your home.

In conclusion, the fall and winter weather can be extremely daunting at times. It’s best to prepare your property properly in order to ensure a successful period of dreadful weather. Use these tips to gear your home for the fall and into the future.