While fall offers a break between summer’s busyness and the hectic holiday season, it’s time to shift our attention to the importance of routine home maintenance. I put together a guide of chores that should be tackled in and around the home to help anyone protect their home from wear and tear and save some money in the long run.
Take advantage of the cooler weather to aerate your lawn. Aeration introduces vital air into the soil by punching holes in the ground and removing a plug of soil. This promotes a healthier lawn and enhances water and fertilizer absorption. Lawns with thick thatch and compacted soil benefit immensely from this practice. This is also the ideal time to overseed your lawn. Grass seed will still germinate in the warm soil while weeds won’t. With less competition, the grass will be able to establish itself before going dormant.
Winterize your gas-powered outdoor equipment by adding fuel stabilizers to protect your gear without the need to drain and store fuel. Add the stabilizer to your fuel and run the engine for about ten minutes to circulate the stabilizer. Change the oil and filter, and check belts for wear. Clean off any grass and dirt and disconnect the battery before putting it away for the season.
Inspect and seal your deck. This protects against water damage caused by moisture and cold temperatures. Check for loose boards and nails that may have been worked out of place during the summer before moving onto cleaning, sanding, and sealing it with a waterproof sealer.
Walk around your home’s perimeter and inspect the caulking around windows and doors. Heat expansion and contraction can cause old caulking to crack and separate, leading to water leaks, drafts, and unwanted critters. Remove the old caulk with a utility knife before reapplying new caulk. Use a good quality acrylic caulk because it’s highly flexible and can be painted over.
Inspect your gutters and roof. Keeping gutters free of debris prevents water from being trapped, freezing, and ultimately damaging them. Melting snow and ice left without anywhere to drain instead sits and can cause leaks and water damage. Inspect your roof for dry rot, shingles that have deteriorated, missing caulking around roof pipes and vents, and any way that water could find its way into your home.
Inside your home, it’s time to change out old air filters. Replacing filters reduces strain on your heating system, improves indoor air quality, and prolongs the system’s lifespan. Regular maintenance now can help identify and address any issues before the weather turns chilly.
Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they’re working properly. Clean the dryer vent to minimize the risk of fire. Lint left behind in the hose can make your dryer less efficient as well.
Taking the time to maintain your home ensures that it remains safe, comfortable, and inviting. So, enjoy the autumn air and let this guide be your key to a worry-free and well-protected home. If you have any questions, remember that at Randy’s Do it Best Hardware, we don’t mind your questions. We don’t mind them at all!
