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Fall is here and with that comes cozy sweaters, everything pumpkin, and raking leaves. There are also other things you should consider doing to ensure your home is prepared for the colder months ahead.
Turn off and drain your outdoor faucets and sprinkler systems. It’s important to shut off your exterior faucets from the valve inside your house. Then turn on the exterior faucet to drain any excess water in the pipe and prevent it from bursting during the colder months. For sprinkler systems, make sure to turn off the main valve to the system and blow out the lines with pressurized air. Again, to ensure that all the remaining water has been eliminated from the system
Have your furnace inspected or cleaned. One of the simplest forms of maintenance on your furnace is changing the filter. This will increase your furnaces efficiency and help clean the air in your home. Be sure to have your furnace regularly inspected and maintained by an HVAC professional, this will not only increase the efficiency and safety of your furnace, but also extend its lifespan.
Inspect and clean your gutters to ensure they are working properly before the rain and snow hits. If they are clogged or damaged, they can lead to water pooling around the foundation and moisture damage on the interior of your home.
Fix Any Concrete/Asphalt Cracks. Water that seeps into cracks will freeze, expand and make cracks larger and more problematic in the future.
Check your trees and trim shrubs. If there are any dead branches that could fall in the winter under the weight of snow and ice, trim them now to avoid problems later.
Change Your Batteries. While you’re preparing your home for winter it is also a good time to do an annual check on all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide devices to ensure they are functioning, and the batteries are still good.
Compost your leaves. After raking your leaves, you can pile them in your garden as extra fertilizer or, if you choose to dispose of them, use compostable bags and deliver them to your local composting facility.
