From Aprilaire, the experts in indoor air quality: Keep these top home maintenance tips in mind this fall to prepare for 2014 winter weather.
Fall is a great time of year to perform important home maintenance. Autumn creates plenty of predictable yard work, such as raking leaves and cleaning gutters. However, there are a number of chores that are less obvious but just as important in order to get a house in tip-top shape before winter.
Five Outdoor Projects for Home Maintenance Tips
When the gardening season draws to a close this fall, it’s time to begin working on projects outside of the house. Forbes’ magazine suggests adding these home improvements to this year’s list:
1. Additional lighting – As the days get shorter, sprucing up walkways with ground lighting adds ambience as well as an added level of safety. Inexpensive solar lights have improved in quality and can be installed without running wire.
2. Walk and caulk – Reducing energy bills, preventing drafts and keeping critters out of the house in the winter starts with a fresh bead of caulk around windows, siding and joints. Before it gets too cold, stroll around the entire exterior of the home and seal any potential air leaks.
3. Bring in lawn furniture – If there’s room, it’s best to bring patio tables and chairs into the basement or garage for the winter. It’s also a good time of year to add a fresh coat of paint if the items are looking worn.
4. Mulch garden beds – Adding fresh mulch around landscaping can help protect perennial plants from cold temperatures and keep weeds down next spring. It’s a fall home maintenance project that can also reduce work next summer.
5. Wash your home – Many homeowners don’t realize how dirty their house can get. Even the best siding won’t shed all the dust, dirt and rain that a house is constantly exposed to. While some synthetic sidings don’t hold paint, they can be given a face lift with a power washer.
Three Indoor Home Maintenance Tips
Of course, no fall home maintenance checklist is complete without ensuring the inside of a home is warm and cozy on cool fall nights. Here are some tasks to complete indoors each fall:
1. Clean the fireplace – For homeowners that utilize their fireplace or wood-burning stove during winter, this is one of the most important items. Hiring a professional to clean and inspect a chimney can improve efficiency and reduce the risk of fire and CO poisoning. In other words, this tip can save lives.
2. Check your humidifier – Ensure whole-home humidifiers have a clean water panel and are working properly. Homeowners who aren’t protecting their properties with a whole-house humidifier should visit Aprilaire.com. Proper humidification protects wood floors, instruments, art and furniture from dry air.
3.Improve air purification – When fall begins, it’s also a good reminder that it’s time to replace air cleaner filters. A whole-home air purifier can also trap fall allergens, bacteria and viruses, helping to keep families healthy all year round.
Home maintenance in fall is essential to keeping family members safe and comfortable during the winter. Aprilaire has products specifically designed to improve comfort and protect investments from seasonal changes in humidity. To learn more, visit Aprilaire.com
About Aprilaire:
Aprilaire has been a brand leader in IAQ for more than 60 years, delivering a wide range of whole-home systems that improve comfort, health and energy efficiency. Our brand products are sold through and installed by HVAC contractors across the United States and Canada. Visit Aprilaire.com to learn more about whole-house air cleaners and total comfort solutions to purity, humidity, freshness and temperature.
– Courtesy of PRWeb