Even those who love summer can get excited about the upcoming fall season. With the promise of cooler temperatures, changing leaves, and everything pumpkin spice, fall brings new energy to our homes and calms our spirits.
However, there is some work involved in preparing your home for the new season. While it’s not quite time to bring out the salt for driveways or test the fireplace, some fall preparations will make your home a more pleasant and safe place to be.
Fall Preparations Inside The Home
Change your air filters
Your central forced air and heating systems rely on clean, fresh filters to deliver quality air inside your home. Ideally, filters are changed monthly. However, you should change them every season at a minimum.
According to Home Depot, “Air filter replacement is important because it can extend furnace life, reduce energy bills and improve indoor air quality. Changing the air filter on a regular basis can improve your indoor air quality and help your HVAC system run more efficiently.”
While changing your filters, it’s also a good idea to ensure your HVAC system is working efficiently. If there are any signs of leaking or poor functionality, it’s best to call a local professional who offers 24 hour AC Service to diagnose the problem and offer a solution. Getting any issues resolved in the fall means a more smooth winter for everyone.
Replace smoke detector batteries
Some homeowners replace smoke detector batteries during daylight savings twice a year, but replacing them with the change of each season is another option. Depending on the size of your home, you can stagger the replacements, tackling the upstairs twice a year and the downstairs on the other half.
Smoke detectors save thousands of lives every year. Homeowners should install detectors in every room of your home, with particular attention paid to kitchens and sleeping areas. Beyond replacing the batteries every season, it’s also essential to test the alarms monthly to ensure they are working correctly. These small devices can be the difference between life and death, so keeping smoke detector maintenance on the calendar should be a priority.
Make It Feel Like Fall
Don’t forget the fun part of a new season – decorating your home! It’s time to get out your fall decor, add the colorful wreath to the door, and stock up on your favorite scented candles.
Skip the clutter and trinkets, and instead, focus on evoking all of the senses around your home. Add texture and color with throw pillows and blankets, find a new fall playlist to turn on in the mornings, and swap out some photos with your favorite fall memories.
Fall Preparations Outside The Home
Clean out or replace gutters
Gutter maintenance is an ongoing task during the fall season. Falling leaves and sticks are likely to clog up your gutters and can lead to water damage indoors or leaks in your basement from water puddling around the base of your home.
Set a monthly reminder to tackle one section of the gutter each month, and it will be easy to keep up with the maintenance.
Prepare your lawn and backyard
Raking leaves is one of the most practical fall activities to prepare your lawn for winter. Get the whole family involved on a warm weekend afternoon and make it fun, keeping your kids healthy through moving their bodies! Bring in your outdoor furniture, giving it a good cleaning before storing it away.
Put away water hoses that can be damaged from freezing temperatures and cut back your shrubs and greenery to prepare them for winter. The more of these outdoor tasks you tackle now, the less work you’ll have to do as the cold weather hits.
Embracing the fall season can be a fun experience. Involve your family or friends and decide to embrace all that a new season will bring.
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