Fall in New England is one of the most amazing times of the year; the trees are bursting with colors, and homes are filled with the smell of apple pie. But, it’s easy to forget about maintaining your home, so we are here to remind you! Don’t neglect your home this summer and fall. Instead, use your extra daylight time this August to prepare your home for the colder months ahead.
Here are some tips to help keep your home well-maintained –
- Get Your Chimney Inspected and Cleaned: Fall in New England can be chilly! So before curling up with a book by the fireplace, ensure your chimney is inspected and cleaned by a professional. Keeping up with chimney maintenance will help reduce the risk of a fire.
- Check Your Furnace and Boiler: Inspecting your furnace and boiler is always a good idea. You will want them checked for leaks and any other damage. Changing filters is essential as well. Keeping your equipment inspections up to date will help with efficiency and decrease heating costs.
- Clean or Replace Gutters: It can be easy to forget that the gutters need a little TLC too. Clogged gutters can wreak havoc on your home. If gutters get neglected, you could end up with water damage to your home’s exterior and interior. It may be best to wait until mid to late fall to clean them.
- Test Home Safety Devices: When the cold weather comes, so does the risk of house fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. You should ensure you put fresh batteries in all your devices and test that they work. Stay safe this season, and make sure everything is in working order!
- Check for Drafts: Nothing is more inconvenient than trying to heat a house with drafts. Making sure there are no drafts will help keep heating your home more efficient and cost-effective. A trick for checking for drafts is walking with a lit candle near common draft areas such as windows; if the flame flickers or burns out, then a draft is near.
We hope these tips help get your home for an stress-free fall! AND if you find yourself not having enough time, check out our UpKeep Home Maintenance Services.