Fall Maintenance Checklist to Keep Your Home in Tip Top Shape


(StatePoint) Fall is in the air, which means there is a lot to get done around the house before the cold weather comes. From landscaping to insulation, read on for a homeowner’s guide to prepping for the upcoming season.

Fall Furnace Check. Before winter arrives, ensure your heating system is in working condition and safe to use. Turn off the furnace first and then clean the vents, check for cracks or rust and swap out the dirty filter for a clean one. If it’s been a while since your furnace has been maintained, it may be time to schedule a professional visit.

Gutter Clean Out. While the fall foliage is beautiful, it can quickly clog gutters and cause water backups and flooding. Put on heavy-duty work gloves and remove debris near the downspout and work your way to the other end. As you clear away the leaves, easily repair broken or cracked pipes with strong T-Rex Tape. Unlike ordinary duct tapes, this strong tape is built with intense holding power for long-lasting repairs, and its aggressive double-thick adhesive ensures it sticks to rough, dirty surfaces through all weather types and temperatures.

Trim Your Trees. Cut bushes and trees hanging over the driveway or roof to prevent limbs from falling during snowstorms this winter. Focus on trimming any dead or drooping branches, as these are the ones that are most likely to cause damage.

Stop the Drafts. Insulating the home helps you stay warm and save money on energy bills. Identify trouble spots where drafts occur and use weather strip seals, like those from Duck brand, to effectively seal these gaps.

Secure the Perimeter. Slips and falls can occur when steps and walkways are covered with ice and snow. Install proper outdoor lighting to illuminate these areas and to help prevent accidents. If you have steep or uneven wood or concrete steps, apply T-Rex Extreme Tread Tape to improve traction on the surface. This quality tape is made with a multi-layer grit embedding process for long-lasting wear and features a stronger adhesive bond than standard anti-slip tapes.

While fall maintenance can feel daunting, following these tips will simplify the process, so you can feel confident that your house is prepared for changing temperatures.


More Resources

Which Water Purification Systems Are Best? - A Comparison of the Three Most Common Technologies
Fresh water is essential to our health and comfort. Not only do we rely on it to stay hydrated, we use it in many other ways including bathing, cleaning and cooking food, and laundering our clothes.
Home Remodeling: Colors and Temperature Perception
Colors contain underlying psychological meanings and evoke particular feelings when we see them. All of us have preconceived notions, learned from childhood memories and family customs concerning colors.
Whats So Special About My Front Door?
"The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live."- Flora WhittemoreYour front door welcomes all to your home.
In The Mood
Creating a Designer Home With LightingTraditionally, spring is the time when many of us think about redecorating or remodelling a room in our home and we begin skimming through glossy magazines, or visiting showrooms for ideas. The results always look stunning, but how do you replicate 'that' look in your own home when your rooms are probably a fraction of the size of those featured in home interior publications? Even if you had the time, energy and resources to purchase exactly the same products that appear in a beautifully prepared photograph or showroom, somehow they never seem to look the same in your own home.
Securing Your Castle
In the world of today, we no longer employ the moat, drawbridge or 30 foot high walls as security devices. However, if we know the correct methods and devices to use, we can attain better security than those devices afforded.
Wallpaper Doesnt Just Cover...It Defines The Room
Wallpaper is often overlooked as a key part of an attractive home. The right wallpaper will add character to any room in the house, and will also allow a homeowner to cheaply and quickly change the look of their house.
Bathroom Remodeling Ideas
Bathroom remodeling is often a popular home improvement project for both new and old homeowners. This may include painting, using new countertops, vanities, windows, retiling, floors, appliances, vents or better lighting.
A Place For Everything And Everything In Its Place
Tax season is over..
Tips For Buying a Whirlpool Bath Online
So you're building the bath of your dreams but find the prices you have been quoted for the Whirlpool Bath way out of your budget.Don't despair and settle for a Whirlpool Bath you don't want!Go online and save by buying direct from a Whirlpool tub distributor.
Sparkling, Clean Lighting Will Add The Perfect Touch To Your Home
When one thinks of the many factors that affect the look of a room, most people think only of the paint and furniture. In doing so, they overlook the most important factor: Lighting.
Chairs, Rocking Chairs and Other Comfortable Places To Park It!
A chair is one of the best inventions ever made. If you've been standing a long time what can appeal more to the eye than a comfortable chair.
Interior Design For Bargain Hunters
Interior design for bargain hunters is the new fashionable item in the arena of interior design. Everyone is interested these days in making their money stretch as far as it possibly can.
Do You Make These Window Replacement Mistakes ?
Whether it's a misguided baseball, or storm damage, sooneror later most homeowners will have to deal with windowreplacement, a chore that is not high on any handyman'slist of things they want to do with their spare time.This could involve storm window replacement, replacement ofwindow screens, or installing an entire replacement window.
Home Automation Enhances Your Lifestyle and Saves Money - Exciting Home Automation Applications
Wouldn't it be nice to have your home take care of things for you, automatically, without you having to lift a finger? You bet it would. That is the promise of home automation.
Create a Joyful Home with Living Accessories: Houseplants
Houseplants can be soothing because of their visual impact. Besides being naturally appealing, interior plants can make you feel cooler on hot days, especially when they move softly in the breeze from a ceiling fan.
Research Concerning Color in Homes and Workplaces
Over the years, many studies have been done in countries around the world to try to discover how human color preferences affect the choices we make in decorating our homes and workplaces, and one dominant fact has consistently emerged: our choice of colors seems to be based largely on the intended use of the space, whether it's in our homes or at our places of business. Here are a few of the findings from various studies:A Japanese study found that people prefer warm colors in the interiors of their homes, which was mirrored by a study in England, although the English were a bit more eclectic, preferring warm colors in their bedrooms and neutral colors in their living rooms.
Reduce Noise to Reduce Stress: Sound Advice From the Rug Doctor
Maybe getting the silent treatment at home isn't a bad thing after all.With the constant barrage of leaf blowers, lawn mowers and loud appliances swirling around us, it's no wonder "I need some peace and quiet!" has become such a popular plea.
Outdoor Kitchens - Simple and Sophisticated
After September 11, many of us decided to stay closer to home. We are electing to remodel our existing homes instead of buying new and moving.
Where's the Care Label for my New Bedspread?
I love bedspreads, don't you? A comforter can be used for the winter months but the bedspread is brought out of the linen closet in the spring when it's warming up and the whole world is freshening and renewing itself outside. A bedspread is available in most any color, pattern or fabric and it can be one of the most expensive items you put in your bedroom.
Popular Trends in Home Technology
As a former home automation installer and a former manufactures rep, I have observed many trends. The following items are certainly the hotest trends this year in home technology.

More Home Improvement Information:

Related Articles

5 Window Treatment Ideas To Improve Your Home
Coming up with interesting window treatment ideas thatbring out the best in your windows as they bring in thesunshine, is a challenge to anyone with a yen to decorate.There are tons of non-traditional options and tips to makethe most of what you have, and give your windows thatmillion dollar look on a mostly discount budget.
Upholstery Fabric Will Give Your Furniture a New Look!
Upholstery fabric will put some new life into your old and ragged furniture. If you notice that your furniture has been starting to look a little worn and shaggy recently, upholstery fabric may be just what you are looking for.
Portable Air Conditioners Ensure Economy And Convenience
Small is beautiful and convenient and so is the portable air conditioner as it can be shifted from one place to the other very easily. Read on to find out all the other advantages.
Geothermal Heat Pumps 101
It seems like about three million of you have asked me to explain how a geothermal system works. Well, maybe not three million, but it's a bunch of you and I'm honored that I have the opportunity to do it.
A Beautiful Carpet Sets The Mood Of Any Room
The first discovered carpet dates back to 1480 BC in the form of an Egyptian Fresco of handloom. Ever since, carpets have made their mark in most tastefully decorated hearths and homes.
Light Up Your Life
A house or any particular room can be carefully planned, well thought out and perfectly executed but without the proper lighting it never really comes to life. A perfect example is a tile back splash in a kitchen.
Tips for Choosing Log Furniture
If you just love that rustic look, and are finally ready to finally buy log furniture for your home, there are a number of "rules of thumb" that can help you in making good choices.Begin by considering the overall style of your home.
How to Care for Laminate Flooring
It's hard to damage and easy to care for laminate floors. Here are some tips on how to properly maintain them:1.
Ridding Your Home of Geopathic Stress
Just as there are solar magnetic stresses that come from the sun and the galactic "soup" that supports the universe, there are geomagnetic stresses that come from within the earth. The field of geobiology, or geopathology, is a science that has its roots in Europe and has slowly gained popularity in the United States over the past 25 years.
Corrugated Roofing Materials Used for Roofing Any Structure
The roof is a very essential element of the house, building or any structure. They provide the shelter and the protection from nature's elements and factors such as rain, snow, sleet, as well as sunlight.
Replacement or Retrofit Style Frame? Which is Right for You?
Last week I told you how to measure for your vinyl replacement windows when replacing aluminum windows. Now that you're ready to order your new vinyl replacement windows, we need to talk about the different frame style options available.
Types of Table Saws
A table saw is one of the most popular pieces of machinery used for woodworking. It consists of a circular saw powered by an electric motor that is mounted onto a table.
Home Fire Prevention Effectiveness 1
Are you aware that you can lose all your personal belongings in a single fire?It's very sad when fire strikes your home. You lose everything.
Improving Your Bottom Line Through Vastu
The design of your office and home has a great influence on your financial success. If your work or living environments are in harmony with nature they have a positive affect on your prosperity.
Kitchen Magic
It's amazing -- some people manage to get a complete aerobic workout just while preparing dinner! Back and forth, back and forth -- I get tired just watching! Today, pay attention to the way you move while you cook. How many times do you cross the length of your kitchen in one evening? Do you find yourself doing squats to get at your pans? Stretches to reach your dishes? Are you becoming a world-class hurdler, jumping over the dog's dish every time you go from refrigerator to stove? All it takes is a few minutes to re-arrange your kitchen storage, saving you a lot of time and energy in the long run.
The Advantages of Steel Buildings
Use of steel as a construction material has seen phenomenal growth in the last few years. Although steel buildings have been used in the commercial and industrial sectors for a long time, they are increasingly gracing the skylines of countries all over the world.
Motion Detector Technology
Motion detectors are in use all around us in both residential and commercial locations. There are many common uses for motion detectors that most people find convenient and helpful in very common, everyday situations, and there will be some new and innovative uses that we may see more and more of in the future.
The Science of Architecture
You're told to take vitamins, drink plenty of water, get a good night's sleep and exercise, but has anyone ever told you that the design of your home and office can impact your health? You wouldn't be alone in raising an eyebrow and questioning how this could be so, but thousands of years ago, the ancient seers of India spent entire lifetimes observing how man-made structures impact humans beings. Their findings were compiled into a body of knowledge called Vastu Shastra.
Sparkling, Clean Lighting Will Add The Perfect Touch To Your Home
When one thinks of the many factors that affect the look of a room, most people think only of the paint and furniture. In doing so, they overlook the most important factor: Lighting.
Get Everything Done Quickly Using Your Basic Tools
No one wants to have their house equipment broken. But it might happened your electricity went off or your water system not working etc due of broken installation.