As the days become shorter, it is obvious that the cold season is just around the corner. The temperature begins to get cooler which signals that the time has come to perform some basic home maintenance tasks. These can be difficult to take care of the longer that you wait. This is especially true when the busy holiday season approaches. Also, it is even more difficult to get these tasks done when there is snow and sleet on the ground. It’s better to do these tasks now. In this article, we will share some tips to help with fall maintenance.
Outdoor Maintenance
Roof
Start your fall maintenance on the exterior of your home. Using a ladder inspect the roof, view everything from the top down and begin with the roof. If climbing a ladder is out of the question, use binoculars to help you look for broken or missing shingles. Curled and cracked shingles or granules collecting in gutters may indicate the roof is due for some repair. Attend to any damaged metal flashings or gaps around vents and chimneys as well.
If you are not sure about the roof’s condition, contact a professional to inspect it further and make recommendations.
Gutters
Once you have completed your roof inspection, clean the downspouts and gutters to remove debris. Make sure it doesn’t have holes. Make sure that it doesn’t sag. If any gutters or downspouts have become loose, tighten them up. This ensures no ice forms from the water that is unable to flow freely away from the roof.
Windows
As your inspection moves downward on your home, look for cracks, loose strips, or holes in the siding that need repair. Check for gaps around the windows and install weather stripping or caulk to seal out drafts where needed. These are easy fixes that can tighten up the building and help reduce the cost of energy used during cold winter months.
Sidewalks
Take a walk around the outside of your home and look for any large cracks or broken areas on your sidewalk. Also, address any loose railings on porches. These are small nuisances during the summer. However, ignoring these repairs during the winter season allows major hazards to develop when there is ice and snow.
Indoor Maintenance
Heating Oil Delivery And Your Heater
Your furnace or heater should be the first item on your interior maintenance list. Call a professional HVAC company to schedule a technician to come clean and check all connections to ensure it is working properly. A dirty heating unit wastes energy and money while posing danger to your family’s health and safety. A heater tune-up is essential prior to going into the heating season.
If your heater uses fuel oil for heat during the fall and winter, schedule heating oil delivery while you are setting up your fall maintenance. When you do this early in the season, you can actually head off potential problems and remain warm without any worries. You can also save some money by scheduling deliveries early on.
Always make sure that you order high quality oil with minimal impurities. It will make your heating system perform better and it will make it last longer.
Fireplace
For homeowners with fireplaces, it is important to have the flue inspected and cleaned of excess creosote since this poses a fire hazard. Prevent drafts by closing the damper firmly when the fireplace is not in use.
Alarms
Since most of us spend more time indoors when it is cold outside, it is vital that you check the carbon monoxide and smoke detectors to ensure they are working appropriately.
Get the alarms ready for the coming season. Either replace the batteries or install entirely new units. This is a good time to install them in homes that have never had them before as well.
Check any portable generators to make sure they are ready and operational for emergencies. Make sure you have gasoline on hand for vehicles and snow blowers. Fall is notorious for power outages so preparing is important.
Conclusion
Just by following the steps above, you can prepare for the upcoming cold season. While all the steps mentioned are important, schedule your heater tune up annually. Also, call early for heating oil delivery during the fall. These are great steps to keep you and your family warm when it is cold out.
Better Home Heat Council was founded as a way to provide the appropriate heating and energy resources for homeowners and business owners of the Lehigh Valley. Our goal is to educate about the many uses and advantages of heating a home with heating oil. We cover energy efficiency and how heating oil is one of the most energy efficient heating fuels available. BHHC also discusses topics that improve the energy use in a home or business. This gives our audience the opportunity to reduce their heating and cooling costs. We can connect you with many local oil companies in the Lehigh Valley that provide a range of services and products. Click here to connect with a professional home heating oil delivery company in your area. Our oil dealers also provide heating and cooling services such as heater tune-ups, repairs, professional maintenance, and installations. These services help reduce your energy bills while enhancing the comfort levels of your home.
