Fall Home Maintenance
home-insurance tips-and-advice

Fall Home Maintenance

Be sure to bookmark this article of fall home maintenance tips! Just like closing up a cottage, your home needs a little TLC before the cold winter months set in. Keeping up with these little tasks can have a big impact on your home so here’s a checklist to go through to make sure you and your property are ready for winter.

• Check your furnace – it’s been sitting idle and quiet for a while so if need be, have a professional come in and service it. You can also consider getting your ductwork cleaned out to ensure there are no potential hazards hiding somewhere in the pipes.

• Check your gutters and eavestroughs – with water claims on the rise it is worth being proactive when it comes to ensuring your home is as protected as possible. Clear gutters and eavestrough and check any storm drain near your property. If you live in a rural area you may be responsible for any maintenance to municipal drains or catch basins.

• Inspect the exterior of your home for any damage or potential repairs. Check caulking around doors and windows and if you have wood trim, check for damage or re-paint them if necessary. Check your roof too; shingles and flashings need to be secure to stop water (or animals) from getting into your home. When it comes to fall home maintenance, this is super important.

Fall Home Maintenance – Water and  Tree Damage

Water has the potential to be extremely destructive and it doesn’t take much for damage to happen during a downpour or snow melt so homeowners need to be ready by ensuring their property is protected. Clearing storm drains and eavestroughs of debris can help stop drains overflowing into garages or basements and slow the chance of loss. If you live in a rural area you may be partly responsible for the maintenance of a municipal drain, a drainage system within a drain watershed area. Removing debris from catch basins and keeping an eye on drainage areas will help ensure the likelihood of water damage is reduced.

If you have trees near your house look to see if there are any branches in contact with your home or telephone and electricity wires. If winter storms occur, snow or ice laden branches can cause swift damage so if you feel the branches are worth tackling, contact a local arborist and they can help reduce any costly damage to your home. Regarding power lines make the decision to be proactive and if you need to inform your local electricity company of possible hazards it’s best to do it before your neighborhood is plunged into darkness.

Fall Home Maintenance – When to Begin

September is a good time for fall home maintenance, including inspecting the exterior of your home for any repairs that may need attention. If you have wood trim around your doors and windows make sure they don’t have damage and if they do, repair and repaint them. Check caulking around doors and windows and replace any weather stripping to help ensure your home is as water tight as possible (as well as energy efficient). Look up to your roof and look at the shingles and flashings around chimneys and plumbing stacks as any cracks or holes can lead to water damage later on. Repairs during warmer fall months are easier than during the frigid cold of winter.

Once your home is ready it is also worth taking a moment to read over your home insurance policy including the exclusions section. Make sure you are familiar with your coverage and if you have any questions, contact your insurance broker.

We insure homes, as well as seasonal and rental properties! If you are looking for a competitive quote, or you need advice on fall home maintenance, give us a call at 1-877-454-4476 or visit our quote page.