Preparing Your Home for Fall

Autumn is when the kids head back to school and your schedule fills up with soccer games, recitals, and PTA meetings. Before the chill in the air arrives and your yard is covered with leaves, it is important to tackle the seasonal maintenance that will keep your house in tip-top shape. NOW is the time to make sure your home is ready before you forget and disaster occurs. Here are a few simple things that you can do to ensure that you and your home are ready for the fall weather ahead.

Have your furnace and water heater serviced.
While the weather is still pleasant, it doesn’t mean that you can’t be proactive when it comes to maintaining your furnace and water heater. Be sure to inspect them both for any obvious signs of damage and remove any material that may be in their way. Heating/cooling companies become flooded with calls once the temperature drops, so don’t waste time making your appointment.

Clear all debris.
Everyone hates the arduous task of getting out the ladder and checking out the roof. Though this job may be a hassle, it is still important. When inspecting your roof, look for any debris in the gutters, rain spouts, or roof itself and remove it. By installing leaf guards on your gutters, you can remove one step from this annual project.

Repair those leaking pipes.
While it is easy to say “I’ll fix that later,” it is important that leaks are repaired before the temperature drops too low. If leaks are not fixed, they can freeze and burst in the WInter months, causing major flooding damage to your home. Don’t forget to properly insulate any exposed pipes around your house too, as they are the most prone to freezing.

Inspect your foundation.
Just with every other part of your home, your foundation should be inspected every few months to make sure it is secure. Remove any debris or vegetation from around your foundation. It is also important to look for any cracks in your basement walls and have them sealed immediately. Even the smallest crack can grow to become a serious issue.

Keep away the creepy crawlies.
Be sure to seal all entry points to your foundation and crawlspace. With lowering temperatures, animals and pests tend to seek shelter in these places, eventually making their way into your home.

Call the chimney sweep.
If your home has a fireplace, this may be the most important advice we can give you. Annual maintenance is EXTREMELY important when using a fireplace. Make sure that your chimney sweep does a thorough cleaning and looks for any cracks in the brick and mortar. If left undone, these can become very dangerous and potential fire hazards.

For many, autumn can be the best time of the year, With apple cider, falling leaves, and cooler temps, what’s not to love? By following our advice on these simple home maintenance projects, you can make sure that you’ll be able to enjoy all that the season has to offer.

With over 30 years of basement waterproofing experience, Ameri-Dry offers patented, permanently dry systems that are backed by a full lifetime warranty. For more information about Ameri-Dry and Ameri-Dry Guy, visit (www.keepamericadry.com), follow Ameri-Dry on Facebook or Twitter.