Believe it or not Fall is only about a week away! The key to unexpected expenses is maintaining your home during every season. With each season comes new tasks that must be done. Here is a list to get you started before the pumpkin spiced, flannel wearing season comes by!
Clean Gutters
An old plastic spatula makes a great tool for cleaning debris from gutters! It doesn't scratch up the gutter, and you can cut it to fit gutter contours with snips. Grime wipes right off the spatula too, making cleanup a breeze. Other options are to do it by hand or with a gutter cleaning robot!
Check Batteries In Detectors
With furnaces turned on, the windows closed and portable heaters humming along, fall is a great time to make sure your smoke and CO detectors are working. Check batteries and expiration dates – smoke detectors are typically good for 10 years, and CO detectors last for about six years.
Aerate Soil
Aerating simply means making holes in the ground by removing plugs of soil. It relieves compaction caused by foot traffic and creates extra pore space in the soil, allowing air, nutrients and water to enter. All of that helps roots to thrive. Aerate your lawn at least once a year, preferably in the fall.
Keep Window Wells Clean
If you've never had a problem with water in a window well, you may never think to clean it out. Keep window wells clean with a cover to avoid drainage issues and clogged wells.
Fertilize Lawn
Apply fertilizer about three weeks before the last mowing of the season. Fertilizing in the fall provides energy and nutrients for the grass roots as they multiply in cooler weather before the grass goes dormant.
Bring In Lawn Furniture
All done using your lawn furniture for the year? Make sure to store it away or cover it with a water resistant tarp. Lawn furniture is expensive, why let the winter elements get to it?
Drain Garden Hose
Freezing water can split a hose open. Blast out the water with an air compressor or stretch them out on a sloped yard or driveway to avoid this issue in the winter.
Clean & Inspect Chimney
If it's been a few years since your last chimney cleaning, now's a good time to schedule one. Buildup in the chimney flue is dangerous because it can ignite and cause an uncontrollable chimney fire.
Change Furnace Filter
Changing your furnace filter is one of the easiest things you can do to keep your furnace in good shape. If you haven't changed it in a while, make sure you have a fresh one before your turn your furnace on for the first time.
Inspect Snowblower
The worst thing to happen during a heavy snowfall is taking out your snowblower and realizing that it doesn't turn on. Take a few minutes to test your snowblower before they're all sold out during the winter!
Source: https://www.familyhandyman.com/list/fall-home-maintenance-checklist/