Fall Maintenance Tips And Other Advice

Gutters and downspouts

Falling leaves clog your gutters and downspouts. This can cause problems. When your gutters are full, the rain water that runs off the roof spills over the side and on to the ground next to the foundation instead being drained away from the foundation. In some homes, this can cause the foundation to leak. When gutters can not drain run off water in the winter, this can result in ice damning. Ice damning is when you get a large amount of ice at the bottom of your roof where the gutters are. The ice will push its way up under the shingles and cause the roof to leak. Cleaning your gutters is a cheap but very effective maintenance item.

Central air

It is a good idea to cover your central air unit once you are done using it for the season. It helps to keep out ice, leaves, debris and rodents. There are many places that sell covers such as Menards, Home depot, Lowes etc. You can get by with a good water proof tarp. Just make sure it is secured around the bottom so it wont blow off in wind or allow a hole for rodents to get in.

Before long, it will be time to fire up the furnace. Make sure you change your filters. It helps in reducing dust and other particles from entering your home. If you have any doubts about the safety of your furnace, then have it looked at by a professional. Almost every furnace contractor offers an inspection service for a reasonable price. Just make sure they are licensed and have been in business for a while.

Wood burners and fireplaces

before you have that first fire, make sure your chimney is clean and free of blockage. It is not uncommon for rodents, birds, raccoons, etc. to set up housekeeping in a chimney. A dirty chimney with an abundance of creosote is a fire hazard so be sure to inspect it and clean it if necessary. If you have any doubt about your fireplace or wood burner being safe, make sure you have a qualified individual take a look at it. I know 3 people that have either lost their homes completely or had 10’s of thousands of dollars worth of damage due to a chimney fire.

Did you know?

I am sure everyone is aware of our economical conditions here in Michigan. But did you know these hard times can save you money? Contractors, myself included, have felt the pinch of a sluggish economy. Most contractors are not a busy as they would like to be. Because of this, they are working cheaper than they have in years in order to keep employees busy and to keep things moving forward. However, once the economy turns around, (and it always turns around) pricing will increase. So if you’re on the fence about getting some work done to your home and you can afford it, the I say do it. You won’t see prices like these again for a long time……if ever!

My name is R. Paul Phillips. I am an active contractor that offers free home improvement information. I have a contact page on my site where you can ask questions specific to your needs, and yes, believe it or not, I respond to your e-mails. Check out my site at http://www.greater-lansing-home-improvement.com This site does have a lot of information pertaining to Lansing Michigan area, however, the majority of the information applies to everyone-everywhere.