Say Goodbye to Summer and Welcome Fall!

As we enter into fall and all the fun activities and colorful leaves, completing some important home maintenance tasks will help you and your home transition to cooler nights and colder temperatures. Scheduling and completing preventative and seasonal maintenance can save you time and money by preventing damage to your home.

Some of these tasks are simple to do, while others may require hiring professionals, but they are all important to help keep things running smoothly during the fall and winter months.

Fall Maintenance Tips

√ Inspect the Roof

Ensure there is no damage or missing tiles or shingles and remove any dirt, leaves or debris.

√ Clean Gutters and Downspouts

Remove leaves and debris from gutters and clear any clogs.

√ Seal Windows and Doors

Install weather stripping or caulking around windows and doors to prevent drafts and to lower heating bills.

√ Change Furnace Filters and Schedule an Inspection

Complete the annual maintenance check to ensure the equipment is working properly before the cold weather. Hire a heating professional to check your heating system to ensure optimal performance and discover minor problems before they turn into costly major repairs.

√ Inspect and Clean the Fireplace

Call a professional in to inspect and clean your chimney. Fireplaces that are regularly used during the season should have an annual cleaning to prevent dangerous chimney fires.

√ Check Carbon Monoxide Detectors and Smoke Alarms

Test alarms and ensure they are working properly, put in fresh batteries. Also check fire extinguishers and First Aid kits.

√ Prevent Freezing Pipes

If you live in an area with freezing weather take steps to ensure faucets and irrigation systems do not freeze up. Winterize your irrigation system, shut-off exterior pipes and insulate pipes.

√ Landscape and Yard-work

Trim landscaping. Cut back bushes, shrubs, and flowers as recommended for your climate zone. Prune your trees and shrubs after the leaves turn to encourage healthy growth. Trim any tree limbs that are close to power lines or the roof of your house. Fertilize your lawn.

√ Review your Home Insurance

Your insurance needs can change over time, and it is good to review policies to ensure your coverage still makes sense.

This can also be a perfect time to look for ways to go green at home. Although changing our practices overnight may not be realistic, we can do simple things that make positive changes happen. Green living is a lifestyle, and we have noted some simple ways to help make the transition to an eco-friendly home and a win for the environment.

Green Living Tips

Replace bulbs with LED light bulbs which use less energy and last longer.
Seal around doors and windows to stop air leaks.
Implement more efficient thermostat settings.
Use power strips and turn them off when not using the things plugged in.
Turn off the lights.
Wash laundry in cold water, whenever possible and wash only full loads.
Reduce water waste with WaterSense faucets at your kitchen and bath.
Fill your dishwasher all the way before running it. Run it at night during off peak hours.
Fix any leaky faucets immediately.
Use water bottles and stop buying bottled water.
Utilize green cleaning products.
Use canvas bags.
Place a recycling bin in your home and recycle everything.
Clean out closets and donate items.
Choose cloth over paper – napkins, paper towels – invest in cloth napkins and durable cloth towels.
Eat more plant-based foods.
Reuse items before recycling.
Plant a garden.

Learn More About LJP

LJP Construction Services can help with all your project needs – from the design phase, through construction and after completion, our package of Quality Assurance, Training, and Risk Management services are customized to every client’s needs and for each project.

Please contact us to learn how we can help.

To learn more, go to www.ljpltd.com