Autumn began on Friday, September 21, 2017. The arrival of fall signals shorter days and cooler temperatures. Now is the time to take care of all of those necessary 

household maintenance chores, especially things that increase the energy efficiency, comfort, and safety of your home.

CRITICAL FALL OUTDOOR CHORES

Have Your Roof Inspected A roof inspection is generally a good idea to help spot potential problem areas and repair any damage that could result in leaking. It always costs less to prevent a problem before it happens. If your roof is in bad shape, winter weather can inflict severe damage, not to mention lead to leaking inside your home. By repairing your roof, you’ll also increase the energy efficiency of your home, and that will result in lower utility bills.

Have Your Gutters Cleaned Hire professional gutter cleaners to remove leaves and debris from the gutters after the leaves fall off of your trees. Clogged gutters will prevent snow, ice, and accumulations of rain and snowmelt from draining off of your roof, and that is a recipe for costly roof damage.

Turn Off Outdoor Faucets and Irrigation Systems While you may not be ready to do this just yet, you don’t want to forget about it, so be sure to add it to your checklist. Turning off outdoor faucets will ensure that pipes don’t burst because they freeze. If you have an irrigation system, you may want to hire a lawn care service to drain pipes and sprinklers and turn the system off. Be sure that all outdoor water sources are turned off before your area sees the first hard freeze.

Trim Trees, Bushes and Cut Down Perennials As soon as the leaves fall off of your trees and shrubs, you’ll want to cut them to remove dead growth. Hire an arborist to trim leaning branches on any trees that are close to your home. This is a preventive measure that will ultimately cost a lot less than any damage heavy tree limbs could do to your roof.

VITAL FALL INDOOR CHORES

Have an HVAC Inspection An HVAC inspection is the best way to ensure that your heating system is running well. The inspector may clean the coils and replace the filters, both of which will increase its efficiency, and extend its lifespan. The inspector will also make sure that none of your heating vents are clogged or blocked.

Winterize Your Windows and Doors If your windows or doors leak, seal those openings with weather stripping. Bob Villa and the experts at House Logic encourage all homeowners to inspect their homes for air leaks. Caulk and weather-stripping are inexpensive. Use both products to seal leaks that allow warm air to escape in the winter. Sealing all your air leaks can help you cut your yearly energy expenses by as much as 10 percent.

Clean Your Dryer Vent The dryer vent is a flexible foil hose that attaches to the back of your dryer and collects excess lint and moisture and sends moist air outside. A clogged dryer vent has a direct impact on the machine’s efficiency. Fall is the time when cool, dry weather creates the ideal environment for static electricity, increasing the risk of a dryer fire.

Test Smoke, Radon, and Carbon Monoxide Detectors Many local fire marshals encourage residential property owners (and renters) to check their carbon dioxide, radon, and smoke detectors and to change the batteries on the day before we go off of daylight savings. You can do it at the same time you turn your clocks back. The items on this checklist are designed to ensure that your home is ready for winter. The money you spend to hire professionals or buy materials for these projects will save you money through lower utility bills and avoidable and expensive home repairs.

Sources: forbes.com, bobvila.com, houselogic.com, houzz.com, homeadvisor.com