7 Tips to Prep Your Home for the Fall

As the season’s change, your home undergoes variations in temperature, weather conditions, and numerous other factors that could significantly impact home maintenance. Because of this, it’s important to keep track of the many tasks that need to be done during the fall season. Whether it’s indoor or outdoor work to be done, homeowners know that taking care of small issues before they become bigger ones can not only save them from many home repairs but also save them from spending hundreds or thousands of dollars in repairs. To make sure you keep your home in great shape while also keeping plenty of money in your pocket, here are several of the best tips you can use to prep your home for the fall season.

Clean Your Gutters and Drainage Pipes

To avoid having the foundation of your home sustain any damage, be sure to clean your gutters and drainage pipes each fall. Otherwise, the first heavy rain will produce plenty of water pouring over the front of your gutters, which if left unchecked could begin to damage your home’s foundation. Whether it’s leaves, pine needles, tree branches, or other debris, having a clean gutter will make life much easier. While cleaning out the gutters, make sure you examine them to see if any loose sections need to be repaired or replaced. Along with this, clean out your drainage pipes as well, since they are responsible for carrying water away from your home’s foundation.

Remove All Outdoor Hoses

While many people may remember to clean out their gutters during the fall, there are just as many if not more individuals who fail to put away their outdoor hoses. Because of this, not only do the hoses become damaged, but also the faucets and pipes used with the hoses. Since the hoses always have some water left in them after being used, failing to disconnect them will allow the water to freeze once the temperatures start dropping. When this happens, the hoses will become damaged, and the pipes may freeze, causing them to burst. If this happens, not only will the pipes need replacing, but the walls where they are located will also need repairs. To keep this from happening, it’s always a good idea to disconnect all outside hoses from faucets and store them in a dry location, keeping them in good condition for the following year.

Schedule Water Heater Maintenance

Often the most expensive appliance in a home, the water heater always requires regular maintenance to stay in excellent working condition. However, because it rarely has any noticeable problems, most people fail to schedule regular water heater maintenance. It’s best to contact a plumber to schedule a service call. By having the tank drained on a regular basis, any excess sediment can be removed before it causes any damage. Along with draining the tank, a plumber can also check the pressure relief valve and temperature control system to ensure everything is working properly.

Fix Leaky Faucets

If you want to keep your water bill as low as possible, inspect all the faucets in your home for leaks or other problems. By checking the faucets in your kitchen, bathroom, utility room, or other rooms you can be sure to catch any problems as early as possible. By doing so, you can call a plumber to have them stop by and make any necessary repairs. Otherwise, those drops can lead to hundreds of gallons of water being wasted, resulting in much of your money also being wasted. Along with this benefit, you’ll also be able to avoid the possibility of having your home’s pipes burst in the dead of winter, which could lead to tremendous water damage as well as extremely high repair bills.

Inspect Your Roof

Because a home’s roof is well above eye-level, it’s often overlooked when it comes to routine maintenance. To make sure your roof is in good condition, have it checked for any loose shingles or other problems which could lead to leaks. Along with this, checking the flashing around the chimney as well as any skylights can also expose potential leaks or other problems.

If you find yourself in need of home maintenance help in the Woodland, Ca area, please contact Hall’s Plumbing at 530-290-1922 today to schedule a service call.