With the extreme heat we’re having in KC right now it’s hard to believe fall is around the corner. And we’re ready for it! Give us all the beautiful leaves, cool weather, and pumpkin everything. Now is a great time to button up your home and make sure it’s ready for the weather change. If you run out of time or would rather call in a professional, Schloegel’s Handyman Services team is here to help! Contact us for a quote.
1. Clean your gutters and check your roof
Raise your hand if you’ve forgotten to clean out your gutters, a huge storm hits and you’re the lucky recipient of water in your basement. I’m over here raising my hand. That’s a hard lesson but one not usually repeated. Ensuring your gutters are clear of tree debris keeps the water from overflowing and ending in your basement. If you are surrounded by several large trees you may need to clean them out more than once.
While you’re up there do a brief inspection as your gutters may need to be fixed as well.
2. Shut out drafts
This ties into the whole button-up-your-house part. It’s easy for weatherstripping on doors and windows to start to deteriorate and when they do your home can get a bit drafty. You can check them yourself by seeing if a piece of paper slides through. If so, it’s time to update the weatherstripping. You may need to caulk any questionable areas and tighten loose hinges.
Sometimes windows are just on their last leg and it may be time to replace them. A typical house loses 10% of its heat through windows but if you have old and drafty windows it could be much more. It’s definitely a big investment but one that pays off. You’ll not only save on energy costs but they look beautiful in your home.
3. Address wood rot
Water can find its way in about anywhere and once it finds a way to the wood in your home you could end up with larger problems. One of the largest reasons we do window replacements is due to wood rot. Wood rot can also lead to structural issues if you have rotted beams, support posts, or joists. Trust us, it’s better to address it right away rather than let the problem fester.
Call in a professional if you’re not sure if you have wood rot or need help repairing it.
4. Get your heater ready!
Some of these recommendations you’ll find on every single one of our lists, this is one. Change your HVAC filter and do it regularly! Not only can an old filter impact how well your system runs but it keeps your home cleaner and gives you better air quality.
Also, while you’re at it if you haven’t had your heater tuned up, might be a good time. That way your house will be warm all season long.
5. Change your batteries
Yet another recurring recommendation. We don’t need to tell you why this is important. Test and replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon dioxide detectors. A great time to do this is when you set the clock back or forward, which is twice a year.
6. Clean and reverse ceiling fan blades
You should probably be cleaning your ceiling fan pretty regularly as dust collects quite quickly, however now is a great time to do it.
Did you know that you can reverse the direction your ceiling blades move? In the summer you want the blades to move counter-clockwise to push the room air down making you feel cooler. It’s the wind chill effect. In the winter you want the blades to move clockwise at a low speed. This draws the cooler air up and forces the warm air down
7. Clean and inspect your fireplace & chimney
We all know why this is so important but it never hurts to get the gentle reminder. We recommend having your fireplace, chimney, and vent cleaned and inspected once a year. It can be one of those things that you put off or forget but trust us, you’re better off safe than sorry.
Need help crossing some of these off your list? Give us a call and our Schloegel Handyman Services team will be happy to help!