Fall Maintenance: 4 Chores to Protect Your Home

Although it might not feel like it at the moment, fall and cooler temperatures are on the horizon. Summer’s reach may seem to extend into September, but before we know it leaves will be begin to fall, the wind will start to pick up, and sweaters will become a necessity.

Before fall hits in full force, consider taking care of the following home maintenance items. These are simple chores that can go a long way in protecting your home and your family during the cooler months. Completing them now, while they are less of a hassle, as opposed to in the future when you may be faced with turbulent weather and other obstacles, is a smart move.

Gutters

It’s a good idea to clean your gutters or eaves every few months. Dirt and debris can easily accumulate in these spaces over time, preventing water from properly flowing through them. Gutters exist to collect precipitation and move it away from the home. When rain can’t move through your gutters it will spill over onto your roof, which can cause leaks and water damage. Long story short, cleaning your gutters regularly can save you a lot of money and frustration.

Image via Better Homes and Gardens

Cracks/Windows

If you don’t seal foundation and window frame cracks in your home you may notice autumn’s cooler temperatures sooner than your neighbors. Caulking cracks not only helps to keep warm air in and cold air out, it also helps protect your space from rodents looking for a winter home. Fall is the time when our furry frenemies start looking for places to survive the winter. Help make sure you aren’t unsuspectingly sharing your space by sealing cracks – or as rats/mice see them: entryways!

Image via Apartment Therapy

Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Detectors

We encourage readers to test their smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms on almost every maintenance blog we write. Here’s why: it’s really important! These devices save lives, yet they are so easily overlooked. To help make sure they’re functioning properly they should be tested every month, and their batteries should be changed twice a year. 

Image via Bob Villa

Pro Tip: Change your smoke detector batters when you change your clocks for Daylight Saving’s time. It happens twice a year, and you’re already going around your home resetting the clocks – it’s the perfect time to get it done.

Organizing Storage

Seasonal changes are the perfect time to get some organizing done. As you put away your summer clothes and bring your jackets and boots out of storage, why not switch other storage items around? You can restructure your storage spaces to bring upcoming holiday decorations to a more accessible spot, and move summer stuff to the back. It’s also a great time to assess your stuff. What summer items did you use or wear this season? What stayed on the shelf? Get rid of unused or unwanted items while the memories are fresh, instead of during spring cleaning when you’re excited about the potential of using/wearing these things during the warmer weather.

Image via Brit + Co

Once your maintenance is complete, it’s time to update the inside of your home for fall. Get decor ideas and inspiration to help refresh your space at the Marketplace Events Home Show nearest you. Connect with us on Facebook to see what events are happening in your area and get exclusive ticket discounts. Happy Fall Y’all!

Read More

Home Maintenance Advice: 5 Chores To Do This Spring

We’ve talked about cleaning, we’ve talked about organizing, and now it’s time for the final installment in our spring cleaning blog series: home maintenance. For many households, early spring is a time devoted to getting your home in shape. While you’re giving overlooked areas a good scrubbing and organizing as part of your spring cleaning chores, take some time to complete a little basic home maintenance. It’s the perfect opportunity to address anything that may have happened to your home during the colder months, and prepare it for the warmer ones. We’ve compiled a list of home maintenance tasks you should consider as part of your spring cleaning. Check it out below.

Gutters – Although the saying is “April showers bring May flowers”, we tend to see a lot of rain throughout the spring and summer. To help combat the adverse affects extensive showers and moisture can have on your home, it’s important to make sure that your gutters (or eavestroughs) are clear of debris. Over the course of the year, leaves, dirt, and litter can collect in your gutters. If you don’t clean them out, the water from rain and melting snow can get trapped, and instead of being directed away from your roof, will instead spill onto it, damaging your shingles and potentially seeping into your attic.

Image via This Old House

Roof – Your roof can take a beating during the winter (this harsh season is usually toughest on roofs). The freeze/thaw cycle we experience towards the end of winter can be especially damaging. Once it’s warm enough and the snow has melted, inspect your roof (either safely on a ladder or on the ground using binoculars). Look to see whether you have any broken or worn shingles.

Image via This Old House

Should you have any damaged shingles, get in touch with a roofing specialist (if you don't know one, check out a referral based website, like Angie’s List or HomeStars, where you can find local, recommended, experts) and have them repaired immediately. These can serve as an entry point for water, so you want them fixed as soon as possible.

Furnace/AC – Throughout the year your furnace and air conditioner will see a lot of use. Although these are complex systems, even the most basic maintenance can help keep them working efficiently and improve their lifespan. Once a month you should check your furnace and air conditioner filter to see if it needs to be cleaned or replaced. If the filter full of dust and debris that means your furnace or air conditioner has to work harder to cycle the air it’s either heating or cooling. A clean filter makes this process more efficient.

Image via Mother Earth News

Some filters are reusable; some are not. If your filter is not reusable and you need to get a replacement filter, measure your filter BEFORE buying a new one (trust us!).

Grading – As you start working on your flower beds, check to see which way the ground close to your home is sloping. If it slopes towards your home, you’ve got an issue. When it rains, water will follow the slope or grade of your lot. If the ground around your home slopes toward your home, the water will move toward your home and pool. This can lead to moisture seeping into your foundation and basement. To correct the issue, re-slope the ground to direct water away from your home. Some shovels and a bit of hard work should do the trick.

Image via Angie's List

Caulking – Although this is a chore you should have tackled before the winter (it really helps with drafts and pests), if you have yet to do it, do it now. Sealing cracks in your foundation and around windows and doors will help to keep moisture and bugs out of your home. It will also help to keep cool, conditioned air in and hot air out.  

Image via The Simple Dollar

This is something most homeowners can tackle on their own, but if this is outside your comfort zone, reach out to a professional.

We hope our spring cleaning series has helped you get more organized and prepared as we inch closer to summer. Missed our pieces on cleaning and organizing? Check ‘em out here and here. 

Read More

Pre-Winter Warm Up: 3 Chores to Prepare Your Home for Winter

Fall is in full swing. The leaves are beginning to turn, deciding to leave your jacket behind is becoming less and less of an option, and there's pumpkin flavored everything at your local coffee shop. We hate to say it, but hot on the heels of fall's arrival is a particularly unsavory character: Old Man Winter. It may be too soon to start talking about this dreaded season, (the amount of snow we are or aren't getting does tend to dominate most conversations for about three months so let's give it a rest for now), but it's not too early to prepare for winter's effects on your home. The blustery winds, severe snowfalls, and freeze-thaw cycles we experience during the winter can be hard on properties. So before the snow begins to fall and the ever-dropping temperature makes it harder and harder to be outside comfortably, try tackling the winter prep maintenance we've outlined below - your home and your wallet will thank you.

1. Seal up your home - Use caulking or weatherstripping to seal any of your home's cracks. Pay close attention to your foundation, windows, and doors. Although these little openings may seem inconsequential, fixing them will help to keep the heat in your home - when houses aren't sealed properly they get drafty and costly to heat. Not only that, it can also make a difference when it comes to deterring bugs and pests who are looking for a warm place to hide out from the cold.

Image via House & Home

2. Inspect your roof - As long as it's safe, get up on your roof and check or any damaged shingles or flashings. (If your roof is too steep to look at safely, grab your binoculars and take a look from a more reasonable height). If you notice any areas that look suspect, contact a roofing specialist. Should you encounter a problem, you want to make sure to catch it before there's a pile of snow on your roof slowly melting and seeping into your attic or forming an ice dam. Not sure where to find a reliable roofing company? Check out referral websites like Angie's List and HomeStars. Their user reviews will help you find a reputable individual or company to work with.

Image via House & Home

3. Change your furnace filter - You should be checking your filter about once a month. If it has accumulated a considerable amount of dust, it's time to change or clean it, (depending on the type of filter you have - some are disposable, some aren't). If your filter isn't dirty, put it back and check it again next month. Clean filters help your furnace to operate more efficiently and can even prolong its lifespan.

Tip: Measure your furnace filter before you go to the hardware store to buy a new one.

Image via Bob Vila

Home maintenance is one of the less fun things about fall's arrival, so we have to ask: what's your favorite thing about fall? What are you most looking forward to? We're definitely excited about our fall home shows! Check out the Marketplace Events home show nearest you to get expert advice and inspiration for every area of your home - US Shows & Canadian Shows.

Read More