It’s August, but America is not fall-like yet. You cannot possibly call it fall. Even though it’s like summer was just yesterday, we’re already reaching the end of the first month of Fall, and I’m sure there are plenty of pending tasks in your fall maintenance list. Or maybe you belong to the lot that hasn’t started working on fall maintenance tasks yet.
Here’s a list of all the essential fall maintenance tasks and why are they important.
1. Gutter Cleaning: By the end of the next month, a lot of regions in America will start facing massive storms and hence, it’s just the right time to make the gutters ready for the harsh weather. Gutters clog because of the dust and debris. The fallen leaves make it even worse. It’s necessary that you get them cleaned by a professional gutter cleaning service and ensure no clog or damage can cause problems in the coming months.
2. Lawn Care: If your lawn has a cool-season grass, it’s time for you to get active. It’ll need all the nourishment and attention you can give. Fertilization, proper mowing, and cutting back the weeds’ growth are top three lawn care tasks that you need to take care of in fall. Read more about this.
3. Carpet Cleaning: Summer parties may be great to strengthen the bond of your friendship, but they’re certainly not carpet-friendly. Due to heavy traffic and dust, the carpets require some rest and pampering. Consider a proper carpet cleaning by using a suitable method (preferably hot water extraction). Don’t forget that it’s important to maintain discipline and follow some crucial rules to keep your carpet clean and new-like forever. Read more here.
4. Exterior painting: If you want to give some touch-ups to the exterior of your house, it’s the right time to go for it. Choose warm shades to have a perfect look for your home for the colder months. Don’t go for extremely dark shades. They do not look pleasing and make your house feel colder. Just a psychological thing I assume!
5. HVAC maintenance: Fall is also the time to get rid of the issues that are slowing down your HVAC system. I highly recommended that you schedule your annual HVAC maintenance in the fall. You can get pretty good discounts on HVAC repair during fall and why not!
6. Home Cleaning: Of course, how can you even forget it! Just wrap up all the summer related stuff, pack it properly and keep it safely. It’s also a good thing to tweak the color theme around your house to make it seem more fall-like. Hit up Youtube for some fall decor ideas and you’ll find plenty of them.
7. Tree Service: If there’s a dense tree around your house, make sure you get it trimmed in fall. In fact, I would say you hire a tree service before you opt for gutter cleaning if the tree branches reach until your roof. If you don’t, the gutters will get clogged on the right next day after you get them professionally cleaned, and I am not kidding!
Late Fall Maintenance Tasks
8. Furnace Repair: After a few months, you’ll have to use your furnace but are you sure it is ready to save you from the harsh winter? As you do not use a heater for a long time, it’s highly likely that it can develop certain issues due to non-use. That’s why even manufacturers recommend annual maintenance just before the winter season begins.
9. Preventative plumbing maintenance: Ask your local plumber to suggest you measures to prevent frozen pipes. Apparently, it’s required if you face frozen pipes very often. Being prepared in the very beginning will save you from plumbing disasters and trust me! It costs much more to fix a frozen or burst pipe than just spend some bucks to prevent frozen pipes.
10. Dryer vent cleaning: Lint build-up in dryers are one of the biggest causes of house fires. Regular dryer vent cleaning can help you avoid that scary situation. Fall is a good time to do it.
11. Change the direction of the ceiling fans: Ceiling fans help in circulation of air around your house, and they’re not always meant to be used in summer. You can facilitate the air flow even in winter without feeling too cold. Just ask an electrician to change its direction.
12. Hire a snow removal company: No, it’s not too early. It’s a dumb idea to wait for the first snowfall to hire a snow removal company. If you live in an area that has snowfall every year, then just finalize a service right now and sit back and enjoy the winter with a cup of hot chocolate.
I know these tasks seem to be a lot. But hey! You don’t have to perform all of these in one day. Just start today and take each task one by one.
