4 fall projects to prepare your home for winter
With each season comes different activities, celebrations, and weather. And everyone has their preferences about their favorite season. As we enter into fall some people are getting excited about the upcoming holidays, pumpkin spice everything, and hoodies. Others are becoming disgruntled with the chill, shorter days, and the end of cookouts. Regardless of which camp you fall into your home still needs to be taken care of and prepped for the upcoming winter season. Here are four fall projects to prepare your home for winter.
Tune-up your HVAC unit
Autumn is the time of year when your HVAC unit transitions from pumping AC into your home and starts heating it instead. HVAC maintenance helps your unit run efficiently, which means you have reliable temperature control and predictable bills.
Here are a few reasons to schedule that check-up in the fall. First, you can save money and energy when your system is running at its best. And who doesn’t want to save money? Second, a specialist can help identify different ways to prolong the life of your unit. This is great news because as a homeowner your HVAC is one of your pricier items to replace, so you want that unit to last. And lastly, winter tends to be a peak season for the HVAC industry. By addressing issues in the fall, you can avoid rate increases and delays. So, this is a great time to get a tune-up on your unit and to make sure it can handle another winter.
Winterize outdoor hoses & irrigation systems
Fall is also a great time to winterize your outdoor water hoses and irrigation system. You will want to make sure that all your outdoor water hoses are empty of water. If they are left with water it could freeze causing them to burst. And you don’t want to have to replace your hoses every year. Also, do a quick inspection of your outdoor water spigots. If you see any drips or evidence of leaks consider getting them replaced.
If you have an irrigation system that needs to be winterized as well. Sprinklers help you maintain that nice green lawn. But the irrigation system requires maintenance as well. You can check out this article How to Winterize Your Sprinkler System for tips on doing this yourself if you are a more DIY kind of person. Or you can contact a local lawn or irrigation company to winterize your system for you.
Water always wins. So, whether you do all these steps yourself or hire a professional, make sure there is no unwanted water in your outdoor hoses, spigots, or sprinkler system.
Seal up cracks & gaps
If your home is drafty your electric bill is about to get a little bigger. Making sure your home holds in that valuable heat will lead to savings on your monthly bill. According to Energy Star, sealing air leaks around your home and adding insulation could provide up to 10% savings on your annual energy bill.
Start in the attic. This is where most of the energy drains live. If you have a basement, focus there next on preventing the cold air that enters and gets sucked upstairs. Then seal the air leaks in the rest of the house.
Recessed lights are one of the biggest culprits because many have vents that open into the attic. If the light is labeled ICAT, then they are already sealed. If there is no label, you can add an airtight baffle to eliminate these leaks. Check out this article from House Logic to discover more great places to seal up leaks in your home.
Caulk is one easy way that can do a long way in sealing up cracks and gaps in your home. It can also prevent water damage inside and outside of the home when it’s applied around faucets, ceiling fixtures, water pipes, and other plumbing fixtures. Also, another quick fix is to inspect your weather stripping around doorways and replace as needed. Sealing up all these cracks and gaps will lead to a more energy-efficient home.
Prepare your yard
Early fall is a great time to get some yard projects done! The weather is nice and you should have time to focus on one-off projects instead of always cutting the grass. There are numerous fall yard projects to tackle. You could clean your gutters, feed your lawn, seed small problem areas in your lawn, or tackle weeds.
Also, it’s a great time to inspect your home and see if any tree limbs need to be trimmed. If there is an overhang you could have trouble drying your roof out, which leads to moss. Branches near or over your house can become snow-laden in the winter, causing tree limbs to snap, damaging your roof. You can prevent a lot of issues by trimming branches in the fall.
Enjoy your home in the fall
Hopefully this list sparks other ideas you can do to your home to help protect it. As always consider the opportunity cost of projects and make sure it adds value to your home. But most of all after tending to your home make sure you enjoy it too. Have a great fall season and enjoy the beauty this time of year brings!
