Fall Maintenance Checklist for Your Charlotte Home
Proper home maintenance affords the homeowner the luxury of an easy home sale when one does decide to sell their Charlotte home. The change of seasons is a perfect time to pay attention to maintenance issues. The weather is generally cooperative and performing these tasks before snuggling in for a long winter can save winter maintenance blues.
Here are a few tips to get your Charlotte home ready for winter hibernation.
- Clean your gutters. After the leaves have fallen is a great time to do this. While you’re at it, consider installing downspout extensions, which are inexpensive and easy to install.
- Put away garden hoses and turn off outdoor spigots. If you don’t, the first hard freeze could cause your hoses to burst, or even worse, freeze the water in outdoor pipes. This is a headache you can easily avoid.
- Pick up all outdoor extension cords and check all cords for potentially dangerous nicks or frayed spots. Store extension cords neatly in the garage, attic or basement. Extension cords are for temporary use only.
- Find those air leaks. To find leaks in your Charlotte home, turn on all of the exhaust fans in the house (including any kitchen fans that vent outside), and put the clothes dryer on the air dry setting. Then, light an incense stick. Use the smoke to detect drafts around windows, doors, and other gaps so you know where to caulk.
- Check around the furnace. Before you turn it on, make sure that there are no flammables (such as paint, turpentine and sealants) being stored near the furnace. These create a fire hazard. While you’re there, go ahead and change the filter before the heating season begins. I advise all homeowners have licensed, professional HVAC companies do two services each year–one in the spring and one in the fall.
- Clean the filter in the hood of your kitchen range. You can just throw it in the dishwasher, and it’ll be as good as new.
- Check the toilets. Put some food coloring in the toilet tank. If the water in the toilet bowl changes color without flushing, your toilet is leaking and probably needs a new flapper or other seal.
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