Fall seems to have forgotten to show up this year and we’ve gone right into winter. Before you settle in for the winter with chicken soup and your favorite book take a few hours to avoid emergency repairs, unexpected expenses and lower your heating costs. Chores in the fall prepare your house for winter. Just do it you’ll be thankful in the end!
Interior
Furnace –
Fall is the perfect time to get your furnace inspected by a professional. They can change the filter for you or you can do it yourself. It’s a good idea to check for leaks and heating efficiency.
Home safety devices –
Instead of waiting for the middle of the night beeps to keep you awake due to old batteries on your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors make it a habit to change them every fall. Make sure the alarms are working properly.
Draft-proof your home –
Heating our homes in Wyoming is expensive enough, so don’t waste heat. Check for possible air leaks around doors and windows. A little caulking will go a long way in saving you money during the winter.
Winterize air conditioning –
If you have an exterior air conditioning unit make sure it is covered to reduce heat lose through the winter and to maintain the unit.
Exterior
Clean up –
Take a walk around your house. Look up and look down as you go. Cut down tree branches or dead trees that may hurt your roof, windows or simply fall down during the winter. Put away your summer furniture to make snow removal easier and to keep your furniture nice. Winterize your floor and garden beds. Inspect the exterior for cracks or holes and repair them.
Sprinkler System and Hoses –
Have your sprinkler system winterized/blown-out to avoid cracks and splits in the pipes that cover your backyard. Remove any hoses that are attached to the spigot. If you don’t you could have big problems with a cracked spigot, split pipes and possible flooding.
Roof –
With the hail storms over the last couple years many of us have had our roofs inspected recently. It is still a good idea to check over your roof for damaged or missing shingles.
Gutters –
Since the purpose of your gutters is to move moister away from your home, you want them clear and free of debris. Check your gutter for cracks or splits while you are ridding them of leaves and dirt.
For many of us our home is our largest investment, so take care of it. These simple do it yourself items will help hold your home value. If you have questions about the real estate market give us a call at 307-635-0303 or visit CheyenneHomeStore.com to talk with one of our real estate agents.
