{"id":6109,"date":"2022-10-22T16:23:47","date_gmt":"2022-10-22T20:23:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/talk.talktotucker.com\/?p=6109"},"modified":"2022-10-22T16:23:48","modified_gmt":"2022-10-22T20:23:48","slug":"how-to-prep-your-home-for-fall-and-winter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/talk.talktotucker.com\/home-ownership\/how-to-prep-your-home-for-fall-and-winter\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Prep Your Home for Fall and Winter"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The leaves are changing, the air is getting colder and it won\u2019t be long before the snow starts falling \u2013 which means you need to get started on your fall home maintenance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can lay out the pumpkins, change up your decor<\/a> and leave pots of mums or decorative kale to grace your front steps, but the real prep work for the cold months has just begun. If you\u2019re not sure what to prioritize, we\u2019ve got some suggestions that could prove useful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without further delay:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2714\ufe0f Clean Your Gutters<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Clogged gutters are probably the number one cause of wet basements and damp walls, so make this a priority process as soon as the leaves are off the trees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is also a good time of the year to get an expert evaluation of your entire drainage system. You may want to invest in gutter guards (which keep the leaves out in the first place) or add downspout extenders to keep the water even further away from your home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2714\ufe0f Check Out Your Chimney<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s nothing cozier than sitting around a warm fire when it\u2019s cold and damp (or snowy and white) outside \u2013 but you shouldn\u2019t light the first fire of the season until you\u2019ve had your chimney cleaned and inspected for safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is also a great time to check your firewood supply. If you have old firewood from the prior year, you need to make sure it isn\u2019t rotten. If your supply has dwindled, get an order in before the weather turns bitter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2714\ufe0f Plug Up Any Drafts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Energy prices have been skyrocketing, so this is the time of the year when you should start looking for air leaks \u2013 especially in an older home. Weatherstripping is cheap and easy to apply, and the time you spend now making sure that air leaks around windows and doors are plugged could save you hundreds of dollars over the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also a good time to put up plastic sheeting over the garage, basement and attic windows and closed-in porches. A little extra-thick plastic can help keep the winter winds at bay and make your heating costs this winter more reasonable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2714\ufe0f Tend to Your Outdoor Furniture<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Patio and garden furniture is expensive to replace, so even though it\u2019s advertised as \u201call-weather\u201d furniture, you\u2019re well-advised to tuck it all into storage in the garage or shed for the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If that\u2019s not an option, you can still extend the life of your outdoor furniture by using waterproof covers secured by flexible cords on everything you can. Garden statuary should also be brought inside or covered to protect them from cracking during the freeze-thaw cycles of the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2714\ufe0f Test All the Equipment<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

What equipment? Well, there\u2019s probably a small list of tools that you rely on for comfort and safety during the cold months, and you don\u2019t want to find out that they\u2019re not working right the hard way. This means:<\/p>\n\n\n\n