Home Maintenance Musts for 2020
Home Improvements You Can Do to Prepare Your Home to Sell
Judith Sutton ABR CRS IDS PMN ASP IAHSP SRES GREEN
Judy@JudithSutton.com 908 803-0472
*Invited guest contributors: Lyndon, Kontz & Bayens
Autumn is officially coming to an end, which means the cold weather is fast approaching. There still is time to prepare your home for Winter. For pointers on how to ensure a homes' integrity throughout the season, I asked advice from experts who know a thing or two about winter weather: A Realtor at Aspen Snowmass in Aspen, Colorado; a Realtor in Omaha, Nebraska; and a roofing-and-siding company in Nantucket, Massachusetts. advise about the most challenging weather issues that could face your home. Consider these maintenance tips to keep your home in good shape throughout the months ahead.
Clean and repair gutters. Once your trees are bare, properly clear them of leaves, pine needles, and other debris. When water can’t flow freely through your gutter and downspout system you run the risk of ice dams once the weather gets cold. I also might suggest that now is also a good time to install gutter guards, making next year’s cleaning much easier.
Check drainage around your home. After addressing your gutters, turn your attention to your home’s drainage, especially if you live in a snowy climate. Make sure there’s piping from gutters that directs water away from your house and there aren’t areas where water could roll backward toward your home. “The last thing you want is negative drainage,” he says, “as it impacts the foundation and siding.”
Assess your roof. If you’re starting to notice a missing shingle here or there or roof debris in your yard, it’s a good idea to have your roofer come take a look. A professional can tell you if you have issues that need addressing immediately. The Winter storm season can quickly turn some minor roof damage into a bigger problem.
Be mindful of low-hanging branches. Walk around your home, looking for tree branches or other landscaping that may rub against or hang over your roof. Strong winter winds and heavy snow-laden branches could cause branches to break, causing damage to your roof and the exterior of your home. It’s a good idea to get a tree expert out to ensure your home is free from any potential damage.
Turn off exterior water faucets and disconnect hoses. When water pipes freeze and burst, they can cause extensive water damage. Avoid flooding and a messy cleanup by insulating your water pipes and hose bibs with kits found at hardware stores. Blowing water out of your hoses is also a good idea.
Give yard equipment such as: gas-powered mowers, edgers, and blowers- colder weather attention. They should be drained of gasoline and oil in an environmentally conscious way. If you’re unable to drain them, add a fuel stabilizer will avoid start-up problems in spring.
Clean your chimney and check your heating system. Every season your chimney needs a proper cleaning, to ensure it will operate effectively and safely. This could lead to built-up chemicals in the chimney- and could be a very expensive proposition if left unchecked. Also, make sure your furnace is working and filters are being changed. “A poorly maintained furnace can produce dangerous amounts of carbon monoxide.
Seal windows and check weather stripping. Keep cold drafts away by preventing cold air from leaking into your home. Not only will this keep you toasty all winter long, but it will save you money on your energy bills.
Reverse your ceiling fans. If you enjoy having air movement year-round, toggle the switch on your fans to reverse their direction. This is an easy-to-do trick and will produce a gentle updraft, which forces warm air near the ceiling down into the interior of the room. Clean the blades first to avoid the disbursement of dust.
Doing these simple maintenance procedures will reward your home with a happy long life, and of course, prepare it for a quicker sale, when the time is right.
Need to know more tips for your home? Just ask me. I would be delighted to help!
Judy@JudithSutton.com
908 803-0472
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