There are many home maintenance chores we, as homeowners need to do before the winter months set in. Doing them yearly can prevent home repairs that can be costly, and time consuming. So, before the cold weather comes and you don’t feel like doing them, here is a 7 chore list that can help you get organized.
Call to have your furnace serviced. It is so important to have this done yearly, that is not possible to reiterate this enough. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a serious threat for you, your family and pets. Older furnaces specially need to be monitored to make sure they are working properly.
Clean the Gutters of your home. Leaves accumulate, and can cause blockages that can disrupt the flow of water. By cleaning them after the leaves fall every year ensures your gutters will stay clean, and debris free.
Stowing away your lawnmower and trimmers without servicing them, means you will have a hard time starting them next year. If you leave your lawn mower with gas in it, make sure you use a fuel stabilizer to keep your lawn mower engine’s free of excessive moisture and to prevent varnishing. You can buy an 8 oz. fuel stabilizer at your local Home Depot for $5.22 isn’t that cheap enough to avoid headaches in the spring?
Change the batteries in your smoke, and carbon monoxide detectors at home. A ten dollar expense can protect your family.
Make sure the drainage of your home is flowing the proper course. If water is sitting around the foundation of your home, then the drainage is not working properly. Make sure the flower beds around your home are not keeping water stagnate close to the foundation. That water will eventually find a way to the basement of your home if it is not properly waterproofed.
Trimming the shrubbery around your home will keep ants and other critters from finding a way onto the roof. Long branches from trees around your home can do damage to your house during strong winds, keep them short.
Stow away your garden hoses to avoid water backing up and freezing, causing damage to the pipes.
Prevention is the best way to avoid costly repairs to your home. Those yearly chores we must do every year, are a necessity, and can save you time and money if you are diligent. Inspecting the foundation, and roof of your home should be done yearly as well to make sure there are not glaring problems that you overlooked before.