Your “To Do” List For Fall Home Maintenance!
The honk of geese overhead as you peer through the mist to see them on the deck with your morning coffee, watching leaves fall at your feet during your walk.
We don't really want to think about what Mother Nature has in store for us in another month, we just want to enjoy the beauty our province has during autumn. Checking a few things off the fall maintenance list before we need to wear mitts will make spring clean up easier, reduce problems with heating equipment, and reduce energy costs!
Fall Leaves – What To Do With Them?
As pretty as the changing colours are, once those leaves hit the ground it means there is work ahead. There are those who believe a light layer of leaves is healthy ground coverage and could potentially be left over winter. Others will tell you rake them now to avoid a mucky mess. Most often, trees are not cooperative, producing thick piles of leaves that prevent air, water, sunlight, and nutrients from reaching the lawn's root system. Don’t throw those leaves out once you rake and bag them! Check out our very own University of Saskatchewan's webpage on how to recycle and reuse your leaves for a healthier yard this spring!
Clean Out Your Eaves In The Fall
We all know we should clean out eaves in the spring, but a check and clean out in the fall is even more important. It can prevent clogged downspouts as we get our first snowfalls that don’t stick and frozen blockages in the early part of spring. After the leaves have left the trees, check your eaves and clean them out. Wet soggy leaves clogging downspouts may freeze in there, adding extra weight to gutters and downspouts. This results in sagging, falling off, and can create dangerous icicle buildup and overflow issues
Inspect Door and Window Weatherstripping
Once furnaces are turned back on, we don't want arctic air sneaking into our homes or heat slipping out of poorly sealed doorways and windows. Inspect and replace old or damaged weatherstripping. Taking care of this chore while we have moderate fall weather makes for less chill indoors, as you often will need to leave exterior doors and windows open to do this job.
Garage door seals are often neglected and rarely inspected by homeowners. This is especially important if your garage is heated. If they need replacement, consider upgrading to better quality cold weather garage door seal that will retain it’s elasticity in lower temperatures and seal out snow and water better. From personal experience, it was a simple job and made a huge difference for our garage.
Filters
Clean air in our homes is dependent on both furnace and HRV (Heat Recovery Ventilation System) or air exchange filters being clean.
Replacing your furnace filters is an easy job, but hard to remember to do. Mark it on the calendar and change it regularly. Depending on how dusty your area is, how many people and pets are in the house, you may change your filter monthly. High efficiency furnaces operate better with lower MERV value filters. As your filter gets dirty it lets less air flow through, forcing your furnace work harder causing premature wear. A lower MERV value is recommended like an 8 or 11 for your furnace. Also, check which side of the filter should face your blower in your furnace. It is usually marked with an arrow on the side of the filter. If you don’t know the size of filter to buy, it is also usually marked on the side of the filter, so you can check the one currently in your furnace before you buy replacements.
Your furnace isn’t the only filter to clean come fall. If you have an air exchange or HRV system, giving that a good clean is imperative each season. Check your owners manual for your suggested maintenance.
Generally, you will pull out a large core that can be rinsed out. Doing this before you shut off your hoses and blow them out will make this messy job easier, but it can also be done in a sink, shower or tub. There are also filters on both the intake and exit sides of the air exchange. They will need to be rinsed as well or replaced depending on the style of filter. A good tip is to take a picture of the position of all of the filters and make note of which side is up for your core before removing them so you can replace them correctly.
When cleaning, use cool water only. Warm or hot water will cause the dust to clump up and not rinse out cleanly.
While the filters dry, clean out the air exchanger cabinet. There is often spiderwebs, dead bugs, seeds and more in there. A crevice tool and your vaccum works well, and then use a damp cloth to wipe out any remaining dust.
While wiping out the cabinet, be careful not to push any debris into the drain holes in the bottom of the cabinet. Inspect these to ensure they are open, as they drain water from your unit down the attached drain tubes. This is also a great time to inspect your drain tubes and ensure they are open as well.
Replace the core and the filters once they are dry.
On the outside of the house, locate the intake vent and use a shop vac to clean that too to ensure your exchanger can bring fresh air into your home easily.If you spot any damage or are unsure about performing this maintenance, contact a plumbing and heating specialist in your area to assist you.
Outdoor Water Lines
Another task that demands attention are your outdoor water lines. Before the temperatures reach 0 degrees Celcius, blow out the water lines and sprinklers. Cracked hoses and pipes make for messy and expensive clean up, so don’t put off this task. There are many lawn care companies that will blow out your underground sprinklers for you, or you can do it yourself if you have an air compressor with enough volume and pressure. Consult your installer or a lawn care specialist to ensure you do this task right to avoid damaging your system.
Unhook water hoses and drain before rolling up and putting them away. Outdoor taps will generally have a shut off valve somewhere indoors. Turn that off, and then open the outdoor tap to drain that last bit of water out and leave them open to avoid trapped water cracking them.
Inspecting and Maintaining Your Fireplace
Evenings by the fire are a wonderful way to spend time in the fall. Before you fire up your fireplace, check over some basics. First, take a look at your exterior chimney. Ensure there is no damage to the exterior and that it is straight with no leaning or slumping.
Inspect your chimney cap, or if you don’t have one, consider installing a cap to keep critters out, and to help keep embers from escaping to your roof.
Look for staining and dampness around your chimney, which could indicate failed flashing or damaged flue liner. A fireplace professional should be consulted for this type of issue.
Find your clean out door and use a small mirror and flashlight to see up the flue. Look for a buildup of soot, check for cracks or separations. If this task is unfamiliar to you, or if you spot something you are unsure of, always consult a fireplace professional. The risk of a house fire far outweighs the cost of ensure your fireplace is in optimum working condition to enjoy in the cooler months.
Now that the fall checklist is complete, all that is left is to enjoy a pumpkin spice latte on your walk as you enjoy the spectacular scenery that Saskatchewan has in fall.