A Complete Fall Maintenance Checklist For Homeowners
Fall can be a busy season for many homeowners. The fall season is the perfect time to get your house in shape for the upcoming winter. You can take advantage of the moderate weather and complete your fall maintenance checklist.
This list includes simple and easy chores. For instance, you need to fix any damages and prune trees before the cold temperature settles in. More importantly, you also need to contact a trustworthy and reputable HVAC contractor to assist you with your heating system.
Townsend Energy offers a full range of home comfort services. We specialize in heating and cooling tune-ups, HVAC equipment replacements, furnace repairs, fuel oil delivery, and energy audits to name a few.
Our NATE certified technicians can correctly diagnose any issues with your furnace and offer the best and most affordable solutions. Be sure to contact us today to schedule a free estimate.
Contents
- 1 Furnace Maintenance Company Shares A Fall Maintenance Checklist
- 1.1 Clean Gutters And Downspouts To Prevent Damage
- 1.2 Exterior Faucets: Hose And Hose Bibb Covers
- 1.3 Inspect Your Home’s Exterior For Problematic Areas
- 1.4 Seal Cracks And Gaps For Increased Efficiency
- 1.5 Check Your Walkway And Driveway
- 1.6 Fall Landscaping: Prune Plants
- 1.7 Stock Winter Supplies Ahead Of Time
- 1.8 Chimney Safety: Perform A Fireplace Inspection
- 1.9 Window AC Units: Removal & Storage
- 1.10 Heating System Maintenance: Efficiency, Comfort, Safety
- 1.11 Conclusion
As a homeowner, you have to perform many vital tasks to maintain a safe and comfortable home. This article lists ten things you need to do for your house to transition safely into the winter season.
Clean Gutters And Downspouts To Prevent Damage
After the leaves from the trees around your property have fallen, clean out the gutters and downspouts. Clogged gutters are one of the causes of ice dams. If your gutters are old and damaged, it is best to replace them with new ones that have built-in leaf guards. Remember to examine the joints and tighten the brackets to keep the downspouts from sagging.
Exterior Faucets: Hose And Hose Bibb Covers
Remove all garden hoses that are connected to your exterior faucets. Drain them properly before you store them inside. Be sure to cover any outdoor spigots with hose bibb covers. Water that is left in your exterior pipes and valves will freeze once the temperature drops to freezing. Frozen water will cause your water pipes to expand and break.
Inspect Your Home’s Exterior For Problematic Areas
Your roof is your first line of defense against the snow and rain. Therefore, it is vital that you ensure that your roof is in perfect shape. Use binoculars or go up a ladder to examine it. If there are any missing or loose shingles, replace them before the winter season hits. You should also check to see if there is any damage to your siding and flashings. Contact a professional to fix any exterior damage before the cold temperature sets in.
Seal Cracks And Gaps For Increased Efficiency
Check if there are any cracks where cables or pipes enter your house. Look around windows and doors, and where masonry meets the siding. Water tends to get into these types of openings of your home.
The water will freeze when the cold season arrives, causing the cracks to widen. Moreover, this condensation can lead to mold growth inside your home. You need to caulk the cracks properly to prevent water-related issues or ice damage.
Also, it is important to seal your home to prevent cold air from entering. This helps increase your home’s efficiency while reducing your home heating costs.
Check your home’s insulation. Add some if necessary. A good idea is to schedule an energy audit to find the problematic areas in your home.
Check Your Walkway And Driveway
Inspect your driveway and walkway to see if there are any cracks. It can be quite difficult to walk or drive on a sidewalk or driveway that has cracks and other damages. It is doubly difficult when they are covered in ice and snow. You need to get these repaired before the first frost arrives.
Fall Landscaping: Prune Plants
Late fall is the time of year to trim all the plants and trees on your property. Make sure that the trees nearest your home are at least three feet away. This way, water won’t drip onto your siding and roof. Also, it assures you that the trees won’t cause damage to your home during storms or when there are strong winds.
Stock Winter Supplies Ahead Of Time
Check if there is any wear and tear on your snow shovels and ice scrapers. If there are irreparable damages, replace them immediately.
If you own a snow blower, get it maintained and buy fuel. It is also recommended that you purchase a bag of ice melt. Restock the emergency kits in your home and car. Make sure that these kits have the essentials such as a first aid kit.
Chimney Safety: Perform A Fireplace Inspection
Ensure that your fireplace is in perfect working order. Buy a chimney cap if you don’t already have one. It will prevent debris and critters from getting down your chimney.
Also, get your chimney cleaned by a qualified chimney sweep. A clogged chimney is a fire hazard. Fire is ignited by burning creosote. Professionals recommend that you get your fireplace cleaned every after 50 to 70 fires.
Window AC Units: Removal & Storage
Remove window air conditioners. If you are unable to remove your window A/C, wrap the exterior part with a plastic AC cover to prevent rusting and cold drafts.
Heating System Maintenance: Efficiency, Comfort, Safety
As a safety measure, get your furnace cleaned and maintained before you need to turn it on. Annual furnace maintenance, conducted by a professional technician, ensures you that your heater is ready to provide heat for you for the coming heating season.
An expert tech uses a furnace maintenance checklist and will clean the unit, lubricate all of its parts, inspect it from top to bottom, and more. It is, therefore, not advisable to conduct DIY furnace maintenance. A professional HVAC contractor can catch all of the small issues that your furnace has so that they don’t escalate into disasters in the middle of winter.
Also, a well-maintained heating system is energy-efficient. In turn, you become cost-effective and pay less on your home heating costs. Overall, contacting a trusted local HVAC technician will significantly benefit you, your comfort, and your safety.
Conclusion
When searching for “furnace maintenance near me,” contact Townsend Energy.
We offer home comfort services, including natural gas furnace maintenance, heater repairs, furnace installations, and much more.
Rest assured that our team of NATE certified technicians can offer services for all types of heating and cooling equipment. We provide the best furnace maintenance cost in the area. We service all fuel types and offer furnace maintenance services for all makes and models including natural gas furnace maintenance, oil furnace maintenance, and more.
Best of all, our technicians are courteous, friendly, and highly trained. To schedule a free estimate, call us today.
Contact us now at (800) 888-2888 to find out more!