The most beloved trait of the fall season is the leaves on trees changing color from their usual emerald green to vibrant yellows, rich reds and awe-inducing oranges before fading to brown and falling to the ground.
Autumn is undeniably gorgeous, and the surge of beauty Mother Nature gives us before slipping into the long winter months reminds us to prepare for inclement weather. Following are autumn maintenance tips to tackle in between apple picking, pumpkin carving, and cheering your favorite football team on to victory:
Outside the Home
While you’re outside admiring the autumnal hues of the trees, keep in mind that you’ll have to dispose of the leaves when they fall.
- Be a rake (or at least use one). Leaves that have piled up on your lawn can kill your grass and anger your neighbors if you wait until the end of the season to dispose of them. Dust off the rake and arrange a few leaf piles for your kids to play in before you use them for mulch or compost – or if you have to, dispose of them.
- Clean your gutters. When leaves back up in your gutters, it can cause water to accumulate and spill over. This may not sound like a big deal, but that water can damage the foundation of your home and can turn to ice in the winter and get under the shingles of your roof causing extensive damage. Check your gutters now and once all the leaves have fallen to keep water flowing smoothly.
- Give your roof a once-over, too. Speaking of your roof, give it a glance to ensure that all shingles are in place and in good shape.
- Inspect the exterior. Walk around your home and make note of any cracks along the pathways leading up to your home. Cracks could mean loose gravel or cement, which could mean visitors slipping and falling, leaving you potentially liable for their medical expenses and in some cases legal damages and more.
- Make some moves. With chillier temperatures rolling in, you likely won’t be hanging around outside as much. So to prevent winter damage, move patio furniture, trampolines, etc. into storage and cover your pool for the winter.
Shift Your Focus to the Interior
Maintenance is required inside your home, too. Here are some tasks you should consider:
- Get the seal of approval. That cooler air is a nice change of pace from the hot, sticky, humid summer that’s now behind us. However, come December, you won’t want any cold air seeping into your home through a small gap between your front door and the floor. Seal any empty space around your doors to keep cold air out and warm air in. Check your windows, too.
- On the subject of heating. Hire a professional to conduct maintenance on and replace the filters prior to winter weather settling in. Doing so will ensure that the system is in proper working condition and that the air you and your family are breathing in is cleaner.
- It’s no longer piping hot. Summer is over, fall is in full swing, and winter will be here before we know it. Take this time to insulate your pipes to prevent them from freezing, bursting and flooding your home when temperatures drop.
Don’t Neglect Your Car
Last, but not least, prepare your car for the trying months ahead. It's a good idea to do the following:
- Give your car a not-so-quick check-up. Get an oil change if you’re due for one, and ask the garage to make sure the life of your battery is still good and other engine fluids are at optimal levels. Also, ask technicians to rotate your tires, examine the tread, and check the pressure – remember, the first frost will force a dip in tire pressure.
- Proper ventilation. Before you need to use your heater and defroster this fall and winter, test them out to make sure both are working in tip-top shape. The last thing you want is to be on the road with the hot air blasting and your windows fogging up only to find that your defroster has bottomed out. If either isn’t working, get repairs sooner rather than later. You know you use your windshield wipers for this, too, so make sure they're in good shape.
- Stock your car. Fill an emergency kit and put it in your trunk in case snow leaves you stranded on the road. The kit should include a blanket, flashlight, nonperishable foods such as granola bars, bottled water, a first-aid kit, reflective warning triangles, jumper cables, a tow rope, an ice scraper, cat litter, or salt, etc. These items can be beneficial for a wide array of trouble. Also, during cold weather months, don’t let your gas tank get too empty – many advise not to let it fall below half a tank.
Once you’ve tackled these items on your to-do list, read over your insurance coverage. Understand the situations in which your coverage will help pay for repairs or replacements. If you feel like you’d be more at ease with more extensive coverage, give your agent a call to discuss changes.
Shannon Ireland writes for SafecoInsurance.com and for HomeInsurance.com, an online resource for homeowners and drivers across the country. Offering comparative automobile and home insurance quotes, consumers rely on HomeInsurance.com for the most competitive rates from the top-rated insurance carriers in the country. The HomeInsurance.com blog provides fresh tips and advice on a range of financial topics to help homeowners and homebuyers make educated decisions about their insurance purchases.
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