Prepare for cooler temperatures with summer’s end home maintenance
As summer winds down, homeowners can start preparing for the onset of cooler weather with several maintenance tasks that can help prevent costly damage.
Homeadvisor.com recommends to clean and inspect gutters and downspouts for leaves if it hasn鈥檛 been done recently. Neglected gutters can lead to wood rot problems and pest infestations.
Josh Lynch, owner of Lynch鈥檚 Cleaning of Hopwood said homeowners should clean their gutters once a year to make sure they are free of debris that can get into crevices and downspouts.
Lynch added that heavy winds can cause gutters to come unfastened, which can lead to other problems.
It鈥檚 also good to change summer screens to storm windows and doors once cooler weather sets in, said Lynch.
Along with it, repair any loose or damaged window or door frames. Installing weather stripping or caulking around windows and doors to prevent drafts can help lower heating bills.
Ideally, experts say it鈥檚 best to check your home鈥檚 cooling system in the spring and heating system in the fall.
It鈥檚 equally important to inspect, clean, or change air filters once a month in your central air conditioner, furnace, or heat pump.
A dirty filter can increase energy costs and damage equipment, leading to early failure. It also makes for better efficiency and reduces household dust.
Dustin Reynolds, owner of New Finish Corporation of Fairchance, said this time of year is busy for cleaning chimneys. 鈥淧eople are getting ready for colder nights,鈥� he said.
Reynolds suggests homeowners have their chimney cleaned and inspected each year to prevent harmful gasses from coming back into the house.
Lynch advised testing smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors before the cold weather settles in when people start using their furnace or fireplace.
Summer鈥檚 end is a good time to check your hot water heater too for any issues that may cause problems.
Houselogic.com reports that a routine maintenance schedule will keep it running for a life expectancy of a 15 years, and perhaps beyond.
This can be done by flushing the water heater to get rid of any accumulated sediment or debris.
Turn off the cold water supply, hook up a garden hose to the drain valve, then run into a bucket until the water is clear.
If the water remains cloudy, briefly open the water supply valve to stir up remaining sediment, and drain the tank again. This also makes the unit operate more quietly, Houselogic noted.
As an additional measure, the temperature-pressure relief valve can be tested annually by quickly discharging it two or three times.
Outside, lawns can be fertilized and seeded. Although grass appears to stop growing in the fall, the roots are actually growing deeper to prepare for winter.
Pruning trees and shrubs after the leaves turn will encourage healthy growth.