As much as you wish summer could last forever, it won’t.
The air gets cooler, the leaves change, and you start to do more things indoors rather than outdoors.
Before the cold of winter hits, though, there are some jobs that you need to tackle in order to maintain the exterior of your home and your yard.
Take care of your mower
If your mower will be sitting in the cold garage all winter-long, you’ll need to take some measures to keep it in good working order.
Add fuel stabilizer and let start the mower, letting it run for at least five minutes to ensure that the stabilizer makes its way to the carburetor.
Another option is to drain the gas and change the oil.
Whichever method you prefer, take the opportunity to clean all the grass and gunk from the underside of the mower and the blades after your last mow of the season.
Disconnect your garden hoses
This outdoor job can have bad repercussions for the inside of your home if it’s neglected.
If your hoses are left attached, water can back up and cause leaks inside.
Another risk is the faucet and pipes freezing and cracking.
While a faucet may be easy and inexpensive to replace, your pipes are not!
Make sure to turn off the shutoff valves to prevent any water reaching the outdoor faucets.
Don’t forget the sprinklers
You may think that your sprinklers are buried deeply enough that they won’t freeze when cold weather hits.
Unfortunately, that isn’t the case.
Just like your faucet, water in your sprinkler system can freeze, causing broken sprinkler heads and pipes.
Your system will need to be drained to prevent any damage.
Look for leaks
Walk all the way around your house, checking for gaps or cracks between your siding and your trim.
Also, check around doors and windows and any areas in which wires or pipes go into your home.
Any cracks that you find should be remedied with caulking.
You’ll be preventing moisture from getting into your home, while also conserving energy.
Clean your gutters
It may not seem like a very big deal, but clogged gutters can cause damage that’s expensive to repair.
Wait until all the leaves have fallen to save yourself from having to repeat the job more than once a season.
Once the trees are bare, remove all the leaves, sticks, and other unwanted crud to prevent rainwater from backing up and freezing.
You should also make sure that your gutters are attached tightly to your roof and that your downspouts are in good working order.
Inspect the roof
While you’re on the ladder checking your gutters, give your roof a once-over, too.
Always be safe, though! If your house has multiple stories or a very steep roof, use binoculars to see as much of the roof as you can and then call a professional.
You’re looking for shingles that are:
- Buckling.
- Cracked.
- Missing.
Any missing or damaged shingles should be replaced right away to prevent damage to your roof’s structure.
Touch-up your landscaping
Your plants will go through a summer growth cycle.
Wait until late in the summer, after this has happened, to prune your plants, trees, and bushes.
It’s ideal that any plantings be at least three feet away from your home.
Peace of mind for an enjoyable fall
When you give your home the maintenance it needs, you’ll be able to enjoy the beauty of autumn without worrying that you’ll have major repairs on the horizon.
That’s something you can’t put a price on!
If you decide to remodel, make sure you don’t end up in a horror story!