Autumn has Arrived, Time for Maintenance

According to the calendar, Autumn has arrived. Now is the time to take care of a few home maintenance details.

Here are a few possible tasks that might apply to you.

1. Clean out the gutters. With leaves falling heavy this year from not only your own trees but neighbors surrounding you, those gutters can get clogged pretty quickly.

2. Rake those leaves. Get those leaf piles off the ground and onto the street for pickup. Leaf piles if left long enough can be new homes for insects, rodents, and in some cases other wildlife like snakes and foxes.

3. Make sure the HVAC is ready for winter. Does it need a maintenance inspection? Does it need cleaning out? Its your decision, only you can judge these things.

4. Be ready to store your garden hose and cover your outdoor faucet before any freezes occur.

5. Remove dead plants and or prune and trim.

6. If need be, have your chimney inspected, cleaned out, and well maintained.

7. Check batteries in carbon monoxide and smoke detectors.

Remember these are only a few maintenance items that can be done around your home. As always your home may vary and have a few less or a few more.

Autumn Cleaning - The 2nd Coming of Spring Cleaning

Many people do not realize that Spring Cleaning comes twice a year.  The first being Spring, and the second being Autumn.  Autumn cleanings don't really make an impact as much as Spring cleaning due to the fact that they're not as invasive and prolonged.  Where as Spring can take a week to two weeks, cleaning in Autumn can be more along the lines of a few days.  It takes place right when the first chill hits the night air.  And Autumn Cleaning does not include the chore of raking and bagging all the leaves.  That is its own event.

Let's get started shall we?

Clean windows, drapes, carpet, patio, sidewalk, porch, bedding.  This is everything that pollen and allergens can stick to.  No reason to keep them around, and now is a good as time as any to get rid of them especially if you have sinus/allergy problems.

Change your bedding and wardrobe for cooler months.  Do it now, so you won't have to throw blankets and clothing around later from the attic or hall closet where everything else winds up.

Change your HVAC air filter.  Many people forget to change this one regularly.

Outdoors? Begin cleaning up the patio, from furniture, dead plants, and summer clotheslines everything has a time and with the onset of cooler weather its best to either move them to a discrete place like a shed, or throw away if no longer of use.  Make it appear clean, also makes it much easier when the leaves really start falling in that you don't have to maneuver around obstacles.  Speaking of leaves, remember to check your gutters regularly for leaf blockages or nests on the top sections of the gutters and the downspouts.

If you can think of any more have at it.  Just remember not to overdo it!

Huntsville Metro Area Homes