With winter just around the corner, there's no time like the present to complete some important fall home maintenance tasks in addition to essential fall HVAC maintenance. Get your home ready for winter by doing the following:
Inspect the outer perimeter of your home for holes and gaps in the walls and foundation. Air leaks typically can be found around window and door frames, at spots where utility wires, vents and pipes penetrate walls, and at the intersection of foundation, sill plates and walls. Use caulk to seal smaller gaps and cracks and use expanding spray foam for larger leaks.
Inspect the interior of your home for air leaks. Take a lit incense stick and walk along the inside of the home's outer envelope. If the smoke wavers, you've found an air leak. Use weatherstripping, caulk or spray foam to seal leaks, depending on their size and location.
Check attic insulation to make sure there's enough to block heat movement between the outside and the attic, and between the attic and the living spaces below. The insulation should rise to the top of the floor joists. Also, seal the attic hatch or door to prevent air movement.
Install storm windows and doors, and remove screens, if your home is the type that allows you to do so.
Check your roof for loose or missing shingles and replace them. Winter can be very hard on your roof, especially if it already has weak spots. Ideally, get a professional roofing contractor to perform a comprehensive inspection.
Clear leaves out of the gutters. This should be done periodically during the fall if you have overhanging trees, and then a final time before winter arrives. If the gutters can drain rainwater and melted snow efficiently, you'll have less chance of ice dams developing and foundation, wall or roof damage from clogged gutters.
Inspect carbon monoxide and smoke detectors for proper operation and fresh batteries. This could be a life-saving fall home maintenance step.
For more fall home maintenance tips for your Broken Arrow area home, please contact us at Air Assurance.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).Credit/Copyright Attribution: “iQoncept/Shutterstock”
With the days rapidly growing cooler and shorter in Broken Arrow, now is the perfect time to get some work done around the house while it is still warm enough to let the fresh air in. The following fall home maintenance tips can help you get a good start on this year's preparations before the bitter cold of winter sets in:
Fall Home Maintenance Tips
Have the heating system checked: The fall is the perfect time to have your heating system inspected and maintained by a certified HVAC technician, which will help keep the system running efficiently throughout the winter and allow the technician to find and prevent serious problems before they happen. Regular maintenance helps extend the life of your HVAC system and reduce your heating bills.
Replace the air filter: Check the heating system's air filter in the fall and winter once a month, and replace it when necessary. This will help keep your system running efficiently and prevent excess wear and tear.
Seal air leaks: Use weather stripping around doors and windows to prevent drafts, and use caulk or sprayed-foam insulation to fill gaps around pipes, electric wires, exhaust vents and other openings in the exterior walls. Make sure that your ceilings, walls, floors and attic have the proper amount of insulation, and that it is properly installed and in good condition.
Get rid of dust: Use a vacuum to eliminate as much dust as possible while you can still keep the windows open. Pay special attention to the heating registers, cold air returns, filter housings, fans, stove hoods and exhaust vents. If you have any tasks that generate heavy chemical fumes, such as painting, oven cleaning or carpet cleaning, do them now before it is too cold to open the windows.
Replace batteries: Replace the batteries in your thermostat, smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, and verify that they are working correctly.
For other convenient fall home maintenance tips, talk to our home heating experts at Air Assurance Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing today. We serve Broken Arrow, the Tulsa metropolitan area and the surrounding communities.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
