Your Strategy for This Year’s Fall Home Improvement
Fall is underway and winter is fast approaching. Start taking care of your fall home improvement today with these time-tested strategies for covering your bases as a homeowner and getting ahead of the cold.
Look Around: The Leaves Are Starting to Fall
Some trees are already dropping their leaves, while many others are already beginning to show the hues that make fall a favorite season for many. While those leaves might be admired by some, they become an ongoing problem when they start to pile up on the ground. Along with implementing a leaf removal strategy for the season, clean your gutters as a part of your fall home improvement and maintenance. Check the gutters periodically to see how many leaves have built up. You don’t want rainwater running down the side of your home due to blocked gutters.
While you’re on that ladder, inspect the roofing system closely. Fall is an ideal time to perform roof repair if necessary. Broken shingles are indicators of issues that need to be fixed as soon as possible. A roof in poor condition will lead to leaks which damage both the exterior and interior structure of your home.
Fall Is the Perfect Season for Tidying Up the Home
Fall home improvement wouldn’t be complete without cleaning around the home. Leaves and limbs are the most prominent thing to remove, but it’s also a good time to power wash your deck, siding, and to thoroughly clean the windows. Unless you’ve been cleaning vigilantly during summer, chances are that pollen has accumulated onto those areas.
Get the power washing out of the way before the weather turns cold so you don’t run the risk of anything icing over. Select an appropriate streak-free cleaner and microfiber cloths on your windows to make them shine.
Fall Home Improvement to Prepare for Winter
As soon as fall comes around, homeowners need to start preparing for winter. Change the filters for your heating system and air purifiers. This will prolong their life and increase their efficiency. Your heater will also use less energy with a clean filter, and you’ll be breathing fewer allergens.
Another critical fall home improvement project is making sure that the home is sufficiently insulated against the cold. Have a professional look at your attic to determine if your home could benefit from additional insulation. A poorly insulated attic allows cold air to fill a living space as warm air escapes out the roof. You will also benefit from adding weatherstripping and caulk to doors and windows, especially if existing material is old damaged. If there is a gap under doors that is allowing drafts to pass through, purchase a weighted draft guard. This is a cheap and effective solution that you can move to other doors as necessary.
North Point Home Inspections provides inspection services to Atlanta and the surrounding areas. Contact us to schedule an appointment.