Fall Maintenence Tips for Your Home

Time to say goodbye to summer and prepare for the change of weather!  A few things to consider before the weather gets cold to keep your home warm & dry for the winter:

• Have your furnace cleaned and inspected annually by a qualified technician.
• Turn water supply off to exterior faucets
• Store flammable materials, including all lawn and power equipment safely (away from furnace, water heaters and wiring).
• Insulate water pipes in areas exposed to cold temperatures.
• Check your roof, and clean gutters and downspouts to keep debris from accumulating. This is especially important during the fall season to keep leaves from building up in gutters.
• Check and repair caulking around doors and windows that show signs of deterioration.
• Have your chimney cleaned and maintained annually by a professional.
• Clean the clothes dryer exhaust duct and space under the dryer. Remove all lint, dust, and pieces of material.
• Check your electrical outlets for potential fire hazards such as frayed wires or loose-fitting plugs. Be sure not to overload electrical outlets, fuse boxes, extension cords or any other power service.  Iif you have fuses, contact a licensed electrician to have it replaced with a Circuit breaker box!
• Keep a multi-purpose fire extinguisher accessible, filled and ready for operation.
• Inspect your smoke detectors. Make sure there is one on each floor of your home. Test them monthly, and change the battery twice every year (when you change the time for Daylight Saving or Standard time) or as needed.  And if you have gas appliances consider CO2 detectors.
• repair damaged driveway, sidewalks & steps & seal asphalt & concrete
• consider installing additional lighting - flood lights or low voltage walkway lights can be a big help as daylight becomes shorter
• Prepare & PRACTICE a fire escape plan - and have a meeting spot so you know everyone got out!