Handyman Articles - Home Maintenance FALL Checklist
While enjoying the beautiful fall weather, we know that winter is fast approaching. You
can save money by taking care of routine maintenance on a regular
basis. Each of our seasonal checklists will help you identify important
projects for this time of year.
Our
fall checklist helps you prevent accidents around
your home, reduce home heating costs and contain
the cost of repairs due to water damage, through
timely prevention before hidden structural damage
occurs.
Home Safety With inclement weather, there are more chances for injury around the home. Make sure that all entrance doors are well lit, handrails are secure and walkways and steps are in good repair. Indoors, it is a good idea to have seating for people to remove and put on boots.
Exterior Lights: Change exterior light bulbs now while the ground is dry. Consider motion sensor lights (adapter kits available) or solar lighting to save power and provide more security.
Walkways: Repair walkways or stairs that might cause someone to fall, especially when wet or covered with ice/snow. Consider eco-friendly alternatives to salt that are better for your landscaping. There are new products (snow melt mats and driveway cables) to melt snow and reduce slipping. Rinse off rock salt quickly, as it erodes concrete over time.
Handrails: Minimize the
risk of falling by securing exterior handrails. You may even want to add new handrails to
assist older visitors who are finding stairs more
difficult to navigate.
Gutters: Install gutters or rain diverters over entry doors to minimize icy walkways/stairs underneath. Make sure these are cleaned each year so they work properly.
Smoke and CO Detectors: Replace the batteries in your smoke detectors once a year, and it is prudent to replace the detectors every 7 to 10 years. Install
carbon monoxide detectors that sense the odorless
and colorless gas that comes from improperly burning
fireplaces, stoves etc.
Note: NH building codes for new construction now require a fire warning system where all detectors run off house electricity, and a problem anywhere in the house causes all alarms to sound.
Dryer Vents: Vents should be cleaned each year, as overheated
clothes dryers can cause fires per the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Humidifiers and Furnaces: There are numerous home air filters on the market, but don't forget the basics. Your furnace filter should be changed frequently (recommended every 3 months). A humidifier should be checked and cleaned more frequently (one/more times each week) and the filter should be changed according to manufacturer recommendations.
•Reduce Home Heating Costs With higher heating costs, finding ways to reduce home heating needs are even more important.
Storm doors/windows:
Attractive storm doors enhance your home's charm,
protect your main door and are energy efficient. You
can also add storm windows or upgrade to energy
efficient (dual pane) windows. My Handyman has
built custom storm windows for several customers
who want to protect their 3-season rooms.
Insulation Saves Heating
$$:
Only 20% of homes built prior to 1980 are well
insulated. You can reduce heating costs by adding
insulation
(recommended r-values) to attics, exterior walls
and ceilings in unfinished basements.
Ventilation: Adequate ventilation moves warm air
that escapes into the attic, outside. Ventilation may include a combination of ridge vents, gable vents and soffit vents. My Handyman also reroutes many bathroom ceiling and dryer vents to the outside where previously they ended in the attic, a problem found in many new homes.
Insulation to Avoid Frozen
Pipes: Wrap exposed pipes with plastic
foam sleeves, wool felt, or fiberglass pipe jackets, to
hold heat in and reduce the risk of freezing. We have
worked with a number of home owners who also
needed us to remove the siding to access bathroom
pipes where builders omitted insulation in the outside
walls.
Weather sealing and caulking:
You can minimize drafts with weatherstripping and
adding insulation/caulking around drafty
windows/doors. Close all foundation vents and caulk
around pipes where they enter your house.
Upgrade to a Programmable Thermostat: These devices automatically adjust your home's temperature settings, saving you money while you are away or sleeping. Web sites to help select the best thermostat for your home:
Reduce Water Damage Strong
winds and heavy rains have wreaked havoc across
southern NH over the last few years. Home owners are often surprised to find repairs are more extensive and costly than anticipated due to hidden damage. When you think you have a problem, address it right away as it will only get worse. My Handyman has done a lot of the following repairs:
Repair storm damage: Check and repair as soon as a water leak is suspected:
Replace missing roof shingles.
Reinstall or replace missing siding and trim.
Repair, or add where missing, flashing around the chimney.
Redo flashing over doors/windows.
Redo flashing where stairs/decks are attached to the house.
Replace older skylights that are starting to
leak.
Replace vent pipes where leaks are
suspected.
Repair small foundation cracks.
Only when the source of water damage has
been addressed, should you take care of the interior
damage, i.e. repairs to damaged sheet rock, stain blockers and painting.
Replace rotted wood: Siding,
soffits, fascia, window sills, and thresholds are
common exterior surfaces that are prone to damage.
We're now recommending the use of composites like
Azek
that won't rot (no wood content) so yearly
maintenance is not required. By addressing problems
early, you'll minimize damage to the underlying
structure of your home.
Gutters and downspouts:
Cleaning gutters is a common maintenance project.
Our technicians will also secure loose gutters and
optionally, we can install Gutter
Stuff to reduce the frequency of gutter
cleanings. Rainwater that is not diverted away from
your home can lead to wet basements or foundation
problems.
Miscellaneous Fall Maintenance
Shut off
water to outside faucets and cover them with
insulating jackets, or replace them with frost free
spigots.
Washing machine hoses are under constant pressure, so they should be changed periodically. It is also a good idea to install a shut off valve behind the washing machine, so you can turn the water off when you will be away from home for more than a few days.
