Autumn Preparations Around the Home

As summer draws to an end and the inevitable flow of autumn activities brings us all into more of a routine than we’ve been used to the last three months of sunshine, it’s important to not neglect your home for seasonal changes.

Here are a few easy tips to prepare your home for the colder weather:

- Clean out your gutters. Falling leaves and branches can clog them, causing backup and overflow issues, which could carry foward into the winter months…creating harmful ice dams.  Also check downspouts and splash blocks to make sure there is adequate flow away from your house.

- Before turning on the heat, replace the air filter. Usually you can buy them in multi-packs for a lower amount than buying them individually.

- Inspect your deck, railings, patio and any other wooden areas for rot, and repair. Throughly clean (powerwash if possible!) then seal to prevent moisture causing further damage during winter.

- Blow out, then drain faucets, hoses, and sprinkling systems.

-Use caulk and weatherstripping around windows and doors,  add insulation in attic and garages wherever needed to help keep heat in and the cold out!