There are a few things that we all must do when getting our home ready for the fall and winter months. Here are a few of the most important issues for the fall.
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1. KEEP THE WATER OUT
Water works fast. It takes no time at all for water to cause damage to your home. It could be a roof leak or a pipe one freeze away from bursting. As autumn begins to take hold now is the time to take a look at the areas that don’t get your attention very much.
2. CRAWL SPACES
You will want to know if your crawl space is retaining moisture. Most crawl spaces should and do have a plastic vapor barrier covering the ground. If you look under this barrier and notice evidence of moisture, you may need to take a closer look. Mold on the floor joists or in the insulation is typically a red flag for these areas. Water usually enters through the vents or at the access point and in some cases the sewer pipes going through the foundation. If you don’t find issues with any of these areas it is still a good idea to close the foundation vents and help insulate the space during the winter.
3. HELLO GUTTERS
Let’s face it. One area we always seem to forget about or simply neglect are the gutters. However, this is an area that is easy to maintain and allow it to do its job. Gutters take the water coming off the roof and move it away from your house. A couple of times during the fall you may want to go and clear out some of the leaves and debris that may be clogging the way. A good tip to consider is dropping a penny down the downspout and see if you hear it all the down. Otherwise you may have a nice clog.
4. SHOULD SOMETHING BE REPLACED
When prepping for winter you obviously want to keep as much of the cold out as possible and not run up your heating bill. Be sure to check the windows and see if any caulk repairs or adjustments need to be made. If anything needs a little paint touch up, now is a good time to do that as it will help protect during the coming cold.
