Following the old adage of “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is especially true when it comes to protecting your home. Those little annoying things like the dripping faucet or the cracking and peeling paint around the gutters and windows can become major expenses when ignored.

Whether you complete your home’s necessary upkeep or hire professionals to assist you, be sure to utilize the following tips. By taking just a couple of seasonal weekends, your tasks can become manageable and create a safe and comfortable environment for your loved ones and those who visit your home. Having a regular fall maintenance plan through the proper care of your home ensures a substantial return on your money when it comes time to sell.

Fall Maintenance Tips

• Disconnect your outside hoses, roll them up and put away.
• Protect your outside spigots with insulated covers. 
• Winterize your sprinkler system. Be sure to turn off your system, disconnect the outside water source, drain the lines and blow out the system. 

· Service your furnace or heating systems by a qualified service company.

· Lubricate the circulating pump on the hot water heating system.

· Clean or replace air filters each month during the heating season.

· Vacuum electric baseboard heaters to remove dust.

· Remove the vent covers on forced air systems and vacuum inside the ducts.

· Check and replace weather stripping, if needed, around windows, skylights and all doors leading outside.

· Ensure all doors windows and skylights close and operate correctly.

· Cover any outside air conditioning window units.

· Ensure that the ground around your home slopes away from the foundation wall so that water does not drain into your basement or create ponds around the foundation.

· Clean leaves from roofs and downspouts

· Test downspouts to ensure proper drainage from the roof.

• Remove bird nests from chimney flues and outdoor electrical fixtures
• Have a certified chimney sweep inspect and clean the flues and check your fireplace damper
• Inspect and clean dust from the covers of your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and security alarms; replace the batteries as needed.

· Check the sump pump line to ensure proper operation and to ensure that there are no line obstructions or visible leaks.