Fall is a time for watching the leaves change, apple picking, pumpkins, and Thanksgiving. However, fall is also the perfect time to wrap up your summer projects and get your home ready for winter. At Leonard and Sons, we’re all about chimneys and masonry projects, and we can help you with your fall chimney maintenance needs. Having said that, we also want the rest of your home to be ready when the short, cold days of winter arrive. That is why we are sharing our list of fall home projects with you.
Fall Projects For You
Prune trees and shrubs – Just like your home, your trees and shrubs need to be maintained as well. In late fall, when cold weather arrives, trees naturally start to go dormant. This is the perfect time of year to cut down any dead branches and prune your trees and shrubs. If you’ve never had experience pruning, be sure to call an arborist to make sure the job is being done properly and at the right time. If trees are pruned to early in the fall, it can lead to some healing issues.
Drain outdoor water lines – It is very important to drain all of your outdoor water lines before it gets too cold. If water is allowed to stay in your hoses and sprinkler systems, it can freeze and cause pipes to burst. The best way to protect your plumbing is to make sure all of your garden hoses are detached from faucets and that your underground sprinkler system has been properly drained.
Winterize lawn equipment – After you’re done using your lawn equipment for the season, it is important to properly store it for the winter. This is the perfect time to perform annual maintenance on your mower, trimmer, hedge trimmers, and other lawn tools. Although maintenance routines will differ slightly depending on the make and model that you use, most companies will have an annual maintenance guide in the owner’s manual.
Seal gaps and weatherstrip – It gets pretty chilly here in the winter. You don’t want all that cold air creeping into your home. Take some time to walk around your home and check all the areas where air can enter your home. This will be places like window and door frames, and places where pipes enter your home. If you notice any gaps, get some color matched caulking and fill in the gaps. You can also put up clear plastic weather stripping up around your windows to keep heat in your home and cold air out.
Clean up yard debris – Cleaning your yard debris in the fall when it’s dry can save you the pain of having to clean up wet, heavy leaves in the spring. Get a rake and clean all the leaves from your yard, porch, bird bath, etc. Next, get a ladder and make sure that all the leaves, sticks, and nests are cleaned out of the gutters and roof. Finally, look around your yard to make sure that all sticks and other debris is pick up as well. This will make your yard look nice in the fall and remove tripping hazards when snow decides to fall.
Inspect your chimney and dryer vents – Whether it’s your chimney or your dryer, your need to have your ventilation inspected and cleaned before you start using them more often in the winter. When your chimney or dryer vents get clogged, it can cause a number of issues including poor efficiency, carbon monoxide poisoning, or even a house fire. This is why the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) suggests getting your ventilation system checked at least once a year.
At Leonard and Sons, we want you to be ready for this winter. Our busy season is just starting, but if you call us soon, we can still schedule you for an annual chimney and dryer vent inspection and cleaning. Don’t hesitate and contact Leonard & Sons today by calling 847-658-7659 or checking us out online to schedule an appointment today!
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