Home: Fall Fixes

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October is the perfect time to get to those home maintenance items you keep shuffling to the side. The good news is most can be done yourself in a minimal amount of time. Doing the small things on this list will increase the efficiency of your home while keeping your energy costs down!

 

CHANGE YOUR FILTERS

Jump on a ladder and get those fresh air filters in! Don’t forget the one most often missed—the furnace filter (which is usually at the bottom of the unit). Changing it or cleaning it will make the furnace work on a far more efficient level when the weather cools off.

 

CHECK WEATHER STRIPPING

Can you see a lot of light under that door? Chances are you need new weather stripping to seal it up again. You can buy weather stripping at any home improvement store. Just follow the directions for installation.

 

CHANGE BATTERIES

This is the perfect time to change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

 

CLEAN DRYER VENTS

This is important because a clogged dryer vent can cause fires. Simply remove the silver venting attached to the dryer and vacuum out the vent.

 

CLEAN CEILING FAN BLADES

When you climb up to reverse the fan’s direction for the winter, clean those fan blades. It’s amazing how much dust they collect!

 

CLEAN GUTTERS

If your house has gutters, pull out your ladder and clean them out. After the monsoon storms this summer, they are most likely filled with debris. This will keep them clear for the winter

storm season.

 

CALL A PROFESSIONAL

While cleaning gutters do a visual check of your roof. If you see missing tiles or vents call a professional roofer to inspect and fix them. Also, call the pros for maintenance checks on your heating system, as well. Those checks are best executed when the temperatures are between 60-70 degrees.

 

Performing routine home maintenance will help you avoid expensive fixes, and keep your home in tip top shape. For a complete list of home maintenance items visit: www.phoenix.gov/nsdsite/Documents/Home%20Maintenance%20Guide.pdf

 

Courtney Cavanaugh Greger is a home improvement expert. To learn more about her visit: www.myflippingjob.com.

home maintenance, fall fixes, save money