Fall is Coming!

The Weather is cooling.  Last night as we were sitting on our deck enjoying the cool air it was hard to remember that just a month ago we were in the high 90s.  Fall is soon coming.  While we are enjoying the new season make sure your house does as well.  Here are a few tips to remember to keep your house in great shape and keep its value.

 

Clean and Inspect your Roof and Gutters

In middle Tennessee we have lots of rainy fall days followed by snowy winter days.  Make sure that your roof and gutters are secure and clean.  You can see a lot from the ground especially if you use binoculars or a zoom lens on a camera.  Look at the shingles on asphalt or screws on metal roofs.  Examine the roof intersections and flashing for damage and pest buildup.  It’s better to have your roof repaired now before you have to repair the leak and the roof later.  Check for branches and limbs.  also check our blog on them –    Prevent Branches   Make sure that your gutters and downspouts are clean and secure.  The water runoff needs to be diverted from your foundation.  Splash blocks work great.

Check your Exterior Doors and Windows

Make sure that your doors and windows fully close and all gaps are adequately sealed.  Weatherstripping is easily accessible at any hardware store and will save you a lot of money even in the short run.  Just remove the old and ripped stuff, and put on the new.  Most weatherstripping is adhesive backed so it will only take a few minutes to save you a lot of money.  Gaps can also be sealed using caulk .  Just make sure it is suited for exterior use.  Remember your attic door.  We have a great blog on sealing them.  Attic Doors

Wash down your screens and check to make sure they are secure and don’t have holes for bugs to get into.  Letting that cool fall air in feels wonderful.  If you have storm windows now is the time to check them.

 

Plumbing

Remember that hose that you used to fill up the pool and water the flowers?  Fall is coming so make sure it is disconnected and drained before it has a chance to freeze.  If your house has freeze proof faucets you are well protected from them freezing.  If not make sure that the faucet shut off is closed and the faucet is open to drain.  You can buy covers for faucets but often time in those multiple days where it is below freezing they do not protect your faucet.  Better to be safe than to experience a flood of water when it is in the teens.

Winterize your irrigation system if you have one and make sure nothing else will freeze.  You can use compressed air or get a professional.

 

 

Foundation

Take a look at your foundation.  Note any cracks or loose bricks that you observe.  Moisture can get into these and when they freeze it expands the fractures.  If they grow or if you see large cracks it’s best to repair them now or consult a pro.  Remove any vegetation such as vines that are growing into it.

 

Lawn Equipment

Hopefully you will not need that mower or power washer until next spring.  Make sure to drain the gas and run it until the fuel is gone.  This will help protect the carburetor from gumming up from the ethanol in most gas.  This is also the time to make sure your leaf blower is in good working condition and that you have a few rakes handy.

 

Furnace

When Fall Is coming, just like the spring when you checked your air conditioning, now is a good time to check your furnace.  Change the filters.  Make sure it heats up adequately; just check it on a cool day.  Make sure vents are clean.  Now is the time to look for sales for portable heaters if you want one.  If you have a fireplace now is the time to get the chimney cleaned.  Clean the firebox and make sure screen has no holes.  We have an outdoor chimenea.  If you have one make sure there’s no flammables near it.  Check for major cracks or gaps where sparks can escape.  And of course, start stocking up on wood.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Since fall will soon be here make sure that your smoke and Carbon Monoxide detectors or functional and where they need to be.  It is always recommended to change the batteries every six months.  If you can’t even remember when you last purchased them, or they came with the house you might consider buying new ones.  You can get detectors that wirelessly communicate with each other and can even announce what room the issue is in.  If you have a large house and quickly determine where it is going off.

Ceiling Fans

Most ceiling fans have a switch to change direction.  During the summer the fan should be counterclockwise to create a downdraft giving you that nice cooling breeze.  In the winter it should be clockwise to create an updraft and circulate warm air around the room.  This might be a great time to clean the blades.

Yearly Inspection 

The engineers at Middle Tennessee Inspections are always extra busy at this time of year doing annual inspections.  We can check that roof, gutters, foundations, windows, plumbing, and furnace for you.

 

Enjoy the cool air and many festivals of the middle Tennessee autumn, and be ensured that a secure and warm home will be there.  And soon Spring has (almost) Sprung

 

Here a link to some great festivals!  I’ll see ya there!        https://www.tnvacation.com/articles/add-these-tennessee-fall-festivals-your-calendar