The fall season in Pennsylvania means lots of colorful leaves, crisp breezes, carved pumpkins, apple cider and more! While you’re admiring all of the things this season has to offer, don’t forget the fall maintenance checklist for your home!
Spend a little time getting your home ready for the cold weather, then get back to enjoying the change of seasons. If you don’t have a fall maintenance checklist, we have one to get you started:
1. Disconnect the Garden Hose.
This is one of the easiest items on any fall maintenance checklist. Just detach the garden hose from your outdoor spigot, roll it and put it into storage!
Why is this important? Well, water leftover inside your hose can freeze moving up through the spigot and into the pipe running inside your home. This leaves you with a frozen pipe in your wall that can crack and burst — resulting in a drippy mess when the temperature goes up.
2. Get a Furnace Tune-Up.
It’s best to get a tune-up for your heating system before the really frigid temps set in. You want to know that everything is working as it should before the temperature begins to drop.
A typical maintenance check includes changing the filter, inspecting the unit for possible issues, lubricating its parts and giving you a rundown of the overall condition of your furnace.
3. Exchange the Screen Door for Your Storm Door.
The screen door should be taken off and put into storage until next spring. Putting up your storm door means you have a better chance of keeping the warm air inside and the cold air outside this fall and winter.
4. Repair Damaged Weather Stripping.
Carefully examine the weather stripping around any windows and doors in your home. If you notice it is torn, worn out or missing, take the time to remove it and replace it with new weather stripping.
This seems like a small task, but weather stripping can prevent a lot of cold air from entering your home — plus sealing these air leaks can lower your utility bills!
5. Check Your Chimney.
If you’re lucky enough to have a wood burning fireplace in your home, then it’s time to have it checked by a professional. Creosote can collect on the inner walls of a chimney creating a fire hazard. If this is the case, the chimney should be cleaned.
6. Insulate Your Pipes.
Look at the various pipes you have around your home. Focus on pipes that are near your exterior walls. If you see that the insulation on your pipes is damaged or worn out, put new insulation on them so they’re at lower risk for freezing and bursting.
7. Get a Water Heater Inspection.
Water heaters are notorious for leaking and breaking down at the worst possible moment. So, schedule an appointment with one of our experts to evaluate the condition of your water heater before issues arise.
8. Clean the Gutters.
This is a must-have item on any fall maintenance checklist. Hire a professional to clear the leaves, sticks and other debris out of your gutters before the snow, ice or heavy rain arrives. Also, be sure the ends of your downspouts are clear of debris so that water can flow freely away from your home.
9. Fix Leaks.
Even a small water leak can seriously increase your water bill each month. Not to mention the gallons of water that small leak can end up wasting. Take the time to fix leaks now, prevent costly water damage down the line!
10. Inspect Your Roof.
You don’t have to go up onto your roof to inspect it — you can use a pair of good binoculars! Look for missing or damaged shingles. You want to get those repairs made before the snow and ice arrive so melting snow and other moisture doesn’t have a way to get in beneath your roof.
11. Change the Direction of Your Ceiling Fan.
Did you know that your ceiling fan can help you stay warm during the cold weather season? Make sure the blades of your ceiling fan are moving in a clockwise direction. This serves to push the warm air down away from the ceiling and into the main living area where people tend to hang out!
If you’d like to check your furnace tune-up, water heater inspection and water leak repair off your maintenance list, we can help. Give our friendly office staff a call today at (610) 557-3302 and let us know what Essig can do to get your Berks County area home ready for the cold weather!
