Could it be? The Exhibition is always a reminder that fall is upon us, it marks the end of summer and the week before school. Now after the long weekend, and the cooler temperatures seem to be staying, we thought it to be a good reminder of prepping your home for fall.
So here it is!
Our top tips for "Preparing your home for Fall"
EXTERIOR:
While the weather is cooler, but not hats and mitts season, now is a good time to get outside and do a walk about checking for and maintaining your home for the colder months ahead.
1: CHECK YOUR ROOF
Before it becomes inundated with snow, sleet and colder temperatures, take a good look at your roof. Is it missing shingles? Are the shingles coming up? Is there any damage that should be fixed? How is your chimney looking?
2: GUTTERS
Cleaning out the gutters should be on the to do list, especially post leaf drop. Paying attention and taking care of your gutters is essential in keeping water away from your foundation and prevents potential costly repairs.
3: WINDOWS/DOORS
Take a look at the seals around your windows and doors, ensure weather stripping and caulking are in good shape. Doing this is not only preventative but could also save you hundreds in heating costs over our Canadian winter months.
4: PATHS and DRIVEWAYS and DOCKS
This is a great time to do maintenance of walk ways and your driveway, especially before plowing and shoveling season. A different kind of pathway is your dock, come the cooler months, don't forget to bring it in!
5: GENERAL MAINTENANCE
How is the paint looking on your house? Is your siding ok? Do you need to seal your decks or walkways? This is a good time to do these maintenance jobs on your home, especially if you are considering selling over the fall or winter, even into spring! It will be one less thing to worry about when prepping to sell, and once less thing on the "honey-do-list" in the spring.
6: GARAGE and SHEDS
With a lot of town curb picks ups, this is a great time to clean out the garage, pack away summer gear like boats/camping/gardening equipment. Remove any liquids that could freeze and move winter equipment that may be needed to an accessible spot.
7: AIR CONDITIONING
With how cold these past few weeks have been, I am holding out for a warmer September, however, now is a good time to prep your A/C's for winter. Clean them from the dirt/dust and pollen that may be trapped, cover them up if you have central air, or if you have a through the wall or window unit, remove them or cover them to prevent drafts and leaks.
INTERIOR:
1: WINDOWS/DOORS
Just like you checked the exterior, make sure to check the interior condition as well! Feel for any drafts, repair the caulking and weather stripping. Remove screens if necessary and add storm windows if applicable. This can add up to loads of savings on your utility bills. Another helpful hint is to have draperies that can keep drafts down from the panes of glass. Hello velvet!
2: FIREPLACES/WOOD STOVES
If you use a wood burning fireplace, call in a pro to ensure it's in good, and safe working condition. For safety and peace of mind, ensure your chimney is swept and in good working order for the cozy fire you'll inevitably have! Don't forget to have some firewood on hand or in an accessible spot for those cool evenings!
3: FURNACE
Like the post above, make sure your furnace is all set to keep you warm! Hire an HVAC pro to test for leaks, efficiency, change/clean the filter and do a carbon monoxide test for air safety. Changing your filter every few months is a good idea. Get your pro in now before they get booked up for heating season!
4: HUMIDIFIER
T'is the season for dryer air, keep your humidifier happy and your air quality/moisture at a good level. Clean it out, replace filters and any other necessary maintenance your humidifier needs.
5: ALARMS
Rule of thumb is to change the batteries in your alarms (fire and C02) when the clocks change, when you do this, also ensure your fire extinguisher is in good working order as well.
6: GENERAL CLEAN UP
In addition to outdoor clean ups in garages and sheds, make sure to get rid of any old chemicals (cleaning supplies/paints etc) as well as old newspapers and items that may have accumulated or found themselves a home in and around any heat supplying appliance (ie furnace room) For The Town of Georgina's household hazardous waste disposal program, please click here.
UPCOMING EXTERIOR: (COMING IN OCTOBER)
Over the month of October you will most likely be preparing your beds and landscaping for the winter months, once you have finished this, don't forget to drain any outdoor plumbing and shut off valves outside (and in) drain hoses, and store them for the spring. Move pots and any plants that require indoors. For more tips and tricks and fall landscaping clean ups, check back for this post in October!
On behalf of The Jennifer Jones Team, thanks for stopping by! See you next week!
*Please note, this blog is not intended to solicit those home buyers or home sellers that are under a current agency agreement.