How to Prep Your Home for Fall

If only all the fall prep your home needed was a pumpkin spice candle and new wreath to hang on the front door! While those are nice touches to add to your home for the upcoming season, more needs to be done to ensure your home is ready for cooler temps. Here are some great tips to get your home ready for fall!

Change air filter

This is one of the best ways to extend the life of your HVAC. Keep a fresh filter on hand and change it as directed. Another way to protect your HVAC is seasonal check-ups. Have a licensed HVAC specialist take a look at your system to keep it in optimal shape.

Change batteries

Change your smoke detector and carbon monoxide batteries and test the alarm. You never know when you’ll need it and smoke detectors play a critical role in protecting your family from unforeseen harm. You’ll want to change the batteries on an annual basis (or whenever you hear it start chirping) and test the alarm at least once a month.

Clean gutters

Clean your gutters and clear leaves from around your exterior. Gutters are your home’s first line of defense in flash floods as they divert rainwater away from your home. Gutters moving water away from the base of your home keeps rainwater out of your basement or crawl space. Fallen leaves not only deprive your lawn of sunlight during the fall and winter months, they also can weaken your root systems and can hold moisture for an extended time around the base of your home.

Protect outdoor faucets

Drain your outdoor faucets and place a foam faucet cover over the spigot. These are usually around $1.00 from the hardware store and provide insulation during freezing temperatures. A good rule of thumb is to leave them covered when temperatures are expected to be below 30 degrees.

Seal drafty windows

Check your window and door seals and apply seals where necessary. Weather-stripping helps boost winter warmth and cuts energy costs by creating a better seal on your exterior openings, but in some instances, caulk may need to be used to seal cracks between the frame and a door or window.

Fertilize your lawn

If you want to keep your lawn looking great in the spring and summer, you need to prep it for the fall and winter. Roots are still active when the grass isn’t growing, so applying fertilizer will prevent winter damage. Doing this is crucial in helping your lawn turn green faster in the spring.

Cut grass short

Just this one time of the year, set your mower to cut 1-1/2 or 2-in. and mow your grass short. Tall grass blades won’t lie down and smother the new grass next spring.

Clean and inspect fireplace

The right time to clean and inspect your fireplace is before you need to use it regularly. Grab a flashlight and look up inside your fireplace flue to make sure the damper opens and closes properly. Open the damper and look up into the flue to make sure it’s free of birds’ nests, branches and leaves, or other obstructions. You should see daylight at the top of the chimney. Now is also a great time to call a professional chimney sweep for maintenance!

Are you looking to make a move this fall? Contact an ARC agent today to help start the process!