We’re now firmly into fall here in New England, and it’s time for some annual fall cleaning and maintenance on homes everywhere.
Let’s start with the easy stuff first — cleaning! One of the most important cleaning things that you should do in the fall is to take all of your family’s winter comforters to the dry cleaners or dry clean them yourself with a home kit. That way they are fresh and clean when the temperature starts dropping later on in the month.
Another thing that is great to do now is to go through all of the summer clothing in the house and figure out what you would like to with them, either pack them away for next year or donate them to the thrift store. Once you have figured that out, it’s time to bring out the winter clothes! Make sure that you have shopped for laundry detergent and fabric softener on DealDash, because the next step is to wash and dry all of your winter clothing before you put them into your closets and dressers. Even if you washed them directly before you packed them away they are still going to be a little stale and wrinkly, it’s best to give them a good washing.
Now on to the maintenance. If you’re a homeowner or a tenant that’s in charge of the maintenance on your home then read on, because these are important things that you should do every fall to keep things running smoothly.
- Clean the gutters. I know, it’s not everyone (or anyone’s!) favorite thing to do, but it’s important that after leaves have fallen, clean out your gutters and downspouts, flush them with water, inspect the joints, and tighten your brackets if they need it. Clogged gutters are one of the major causes of ice dams. If any of your gutters are getting old be sure to replace them before the snow falls.
- Caulk your windows. This job is a little more fun than the previous one, be sure to caulk around windows and door frames to prevent heat from escaping. Caulk around the outside, and then get a helper to turn on a hairdryer to heat around the edges – if you feel a stream of hot air it means that you should re-caulk that area, you might have missed a spot.
- Inspect your roof. Make sure the roof is in good shape with no missing or loose shingles. Ice, rain, snow, and wind combined with rapidly changing temperatures and humidity wreak havoc on roofs.
- Have your boiler and fireplace inspected. Heating systems in good shape will use fuel more efficiently, last longer, and have fewer problems if properly serviced.
Hopefully we will have a mild winter this year, but even if we don’t, rest assured that you are prepared for the weather ahead. Go rake your lawn, then get yourself a hot cider or tea, and check out the auctions and see what you would really like to bid on and WIN! See you on DealDash everyone! Good luck and happy bidding.
