10 Ways to Prepare Your Home for Fall

Summer has turned to Autumn in Knoxville, and it is time to get ready for the colder winter months (if you haven’t already). While preparing for holiday parties and celebrations should undoubtedly be on the list, we also want to make sure that your home is ready as well. 

So, with that in mind, here are 10 tips to prep your home for the season. 

Check Your Roof

As leaves and other debris start to collect on your roof and in your gutters, you want to make sure that they won’t pose any threat. Also, as the temperatures drop, critters will use any holes in the roof to get into your home. 

Inspect Your Basement

Just like your attic, bugs and vermin love to hang out in basements and crawlspaces. If you’re worried about an infestation, now is the time to call pest control and ensure that no critters will set up shop during the winter. 

Look for Leaks

Whether it’s through window cracks, door jambs, or other seals around your home, heat will invariably escape. Unfortunately, that means that your utility bills will be higher during the colder months. Now is when you want to locate and fill any of these leaks. 

Check for Water

Metal pipes can degrade over time, especially when the temperature drops. Hoses, faucets, and any other water systems outdoors are particularly susceptible to leaks, so check them first. 

Clean Your Filters

Since you’ll be spending more time indoors during the fall and winter, you want to make sure you’re breathing clean air. If you haven’t checked your filters in a few months, now’s the time. 

Inspect Your Walkways

Driveways, sidewalks, and stone pathways can develop cracks, which will only worsen as the weather gets colder. Take care of them now before they become a problem. 

Call in the Pros

Your home’s heating system, furnace or otherwise, has been out of action for most of the year. Getting it inspected by a professional will ensure that you don’t experience problems when it’s time to get warm and toasty. 

Check Your Chimney

It’s probably been a while since you’ve had a fire in your fireplace. If your chimney is dirty or clogged, it can be a significant hazard. 

Inspect Your Extinguishers

If there is a fire in the home, you want to be sure you can put it out. Extinguishers go bad over time, so check them out before you need them. 

Test Your Alarms

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors can also wear down over time. While they will alert you if you need to change the battery, it helps to inspect them further, just to be safe. 

Although these 10 tips are useful, don’t forget to go over your homeowner’s insurance policy as well. It only takes a few minutes on the phone to make sure that you have the coverage you need to be safe this season.  Give us a call at 800-624-3339 or click here to use our contact form.

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