Long Island’s starting to cool off. Of course, we all know we’ll have a heat wave every couple of weeks until December when the snow comes. Even with all the ups and downs our climate has these days, we still have to prep our homes for those two weeks of autumn we get between now and December. It may come in October. Perhaps in November. The leaves will fall from the trees, and before the snow comes we need to perform home maintenance for fall.
Checklist for home maintenance for fall
It’s not just raking leaves, and having someone come and service your hot water heater. There’s more to be done indoors and outdoors before autumn descends upon Long Island. Have a look at the checklists below to help you prep your house for autumn.
Exterior Maintenance
-
Check Foundation for cracks and caulk around areas where masonry meets siding, where pipes or wires enter the house, around windows and door frames
- Install storm windows and doors and remove screens
- Inspect the roof for missing or loose shingles (hire a licensed roofing pro to inspect your roof)
- Trim tree branches
- Reseed Lawn
- Clean out the gutters once all the leaves have fallen
- Clean out the gutter downspouts
- Flush out the downspouts with water in order to inspect joints - and tighten brackets if you need to
- Weather-strip your garage door (make sure the seal between your garage door and the ground is tight so you avoid drafts)
- Inspect driveway for cracks - clean them out, repair damage with filler and then coat with sealer
Interior Maintenance
-
Apply Weather Stripping around windows and doors (cuts down on drafts and helps keep your heating bill lower)
- Have a licensed contractor inspect your heating system
- If you have a fireplace, get it in working order - including having a professional clean the chimney
- Change the direction of your ceiling fan so it creates an upward draft (doing this helps distribute warm air)
- Change your smoke alarm and carbon dioxide detector batteries
Spending a little time prepping can help you avoid having to put in an insurance claim in the future. Along with all of the home maintenance checks you do, contact Tango Insurance to review your current insurance policies on your home and automobile. We could be saving you money! Call our Commack, Long Island office today at 631.543.0500.