We’re well into the cooler season, and while many homeowners are spending time decorating and thinking about holiday feasts, there are actually a few things you’ll want to scratch off your diy home improvement to-do list to make sure your home is ready for the cooler months
ahead.

Take a look at these 5 easy home upgrades things you should do sooner rather than later to prep your home for fall and winter:

Clean your gutters

Most homeowners take on gutter cleaning 1-2 a year, depending on the climate where they live. Make it a point to clean your gutters during the colder months to clear them of any leaves, branches, and debris that has accumulated. There are a lot of gutter cleaning tools that can make your diy home project easier too, or seek out a local gutter cleaning company to make it easier for yourself. Allowing your gutters to fill up too long becomes an invite for pests, rodents, and expensive repairs.

Check your HVAC filter

This is one of those things that is easily forgotten (out of sight, out of mind). Since you might run your heating more during the cooler months, you’ll want to make sure your hvac filters are clean at all times. Otherwise, your HVAC will have to work harder, and you’ll run the risk of paying extra on your monthly bill.

What’s more, old hvac filters can cause more allergies to roam in your home. Experts recommend you change your HVAC filter every 3 months. You can purchase HVAC filters online or go to a local home improvement store to make that HVAC filter change.

Disconnect outdoor hoses

It may not seem like a big deal to leave hoses connected to the outside spigot (the metal piece attached to your home. But doing so can cause serious damage during the colder months. If water is trapped inside the spigot or hose, it can freeze once the temperature drops. This can cause the hose or spigot to burst – or worse, the water pipe inside your home. No one wants water damage, so do yourself a favor and just disconnect your hoses. What’s more, use an outdoor foam faucet cover as well to protect your outdoor faucets from freezing.

Inspect outdoor lighting

We all know that the cooler months mean we enjoy fewer hours of daylight. This is the perfect time to make sure you’ve got fresh lightbulbs outside your home. If you can’t remember the last time you changed your outdoor lighting, we suggest swapping them out for fresh ones and you won’t have to worry about them. Think about your front and back porch, any string lights, and additional lighting surrounding your home. The lighting not only looks good, but it also helps you see any ice on your sidewalks in the chilly winter months.

Clean the chimney

If you plan to use your fireplace this season, be sure to have it properly cleaned beforehand. Especially if it’s been a while since its last use. Chimneys are of course exposed to the elements – leaving it open to leaves, debris, and even a place for birds to build nests. These items can become a fire hazard if not removed before lighting your fireplace.

Depending on the size of your home, you might be able to handle this chimney cleaning task yourself – but if you’re uncomfortable, reach out to a professional chimney cleaning company that provides a thorough chimney cleaning service.

Before we get too far along into the cooler months, we advise you to sit down and make a list of things you need to get done to update your home. It’s in your best interest to take care of these things early, so you don’t run into any major issues down the road. We share tons of tips about home construction, remodeling and design, and upkeep on our Instagram. Give us a follow!

Summary:

In this post, we shared 5 key house repair areas to look at when preparing for the colder months. We shared these areas:

1. Clean your gutters
2. Clean your hvac filters
3. Disconnect outdoor hoses
4. Inspect outdoor lighting
5. Clean the chimney

If you need any home remodeling services from us in the Rochester area, get in touch!