22 Nov Home inspection checklist for fall
Improve your home with this DIY home inspection checklist
If you are concerned about your roofing, gutters, insulation, or anything else as the fall season comes to a close, you may be wondering what you can do to better prepare your home for the incoming harsh winter weather. Luckily, there is an easy way to get ready for the winter — all you need to do is go through a simple and effective fall home inspection checklist. This allows you to note and fix any problems before they become even larger problems during the winter season.
So, without further ado, here are some essential fall home inspection items to add to your list before winter hits this year.
Examine Your Roof
First up is one of the most important. Your roof. If your roof is damaged or has a leak, this must be addressed before winter hits. If a roof leak is ignored, the storms that come with the winter season can do incredible damage to not only the exterior of your home but also the interior.
As roofs get older, they can become more prone to leaks. Additionally, a storm or other harsh force can also damage your roof. Because of this, you’ll want to inspect your roof for any damaged, missing, or loose shingles and check for dips or sagging in the roof silhouette.
In reality, it can be incredibly difficult to determine the status of your roof on your own. So, rather than take that risk in the winter season, you may want to call a professional roofer to inspect your roof. Luckily, you do not have to worry about spending money to get a roof inspection if you use Quality Exteriors. They offer free professional residential roof inspections and expert recommendations to ensure that your roof is in good condition before winter this year.
Clean Gutters
The next item you’ll want to include in your fall inspection checklist is your gutters. Gutters can get clogged throughout the year, and this can lead to further issues — such as damp or rotting wood on the side of your home or drainage issues.
So, before the winter storms hit, take the time to inspect your gutters and downspouts. Make sure they are not damaged (and make sure nothing is draining towards your home) and give them a good clearing out so you can be best prepared for the winter weather.
Check Vents
One area that many people forget to check before going into the winter season is their vents. This is an essential item to tick off of the list, though, because unless your vents are properly sealed, you may wind up with more than a few unwanted pests in your home.
Ensure that your vents are tightly covered with the correct screening materials so that pests can’t use your home to escape the weather outside. This is especially important in areas like your attic or basement, where pests may be more likely to hide out.
Seal Windows and Doors
Another two areas of your home that can often use some additional sealing are your windows and doors. Whether this is because your home is old and lacking in insulation or it has simply been some time since you have addressed any drafty doors or windows, now is a great time to do that.
Leaky windows and doors can not only make it really hard to keep the heat inside your home (which can lead to a much higher heating bill than you were expecting for the season), but they can also allow water to leak into your home as well. So, take some time to assess and reseal your doors and windows as you need to to ensure your home will be protected from what is going on outside.
Shut Off Exterior Faucets
Winter can do a lot of damage to pipes, faucets, and other water-carrying mediums. This is because water freezes when it gets cold enough — this wouldn’t be a problem, except it is important to remember that when water turns into ice, it expands. This means that if you have a certain amount of water in a pipe (filling the pipe) with nowhere to escape when it freezes, it can burst the pipe.
To prevent cold-weather damage on your pipes and hoses, make sure to completely seal them so they cannot get more water into them, and run the faucet or hose until all the water is currently in it is out.
Prepare Your Heating System
Not all homes use the same type of heating system. Some may use a furnace, and some may rely on a fireplace. No matter what heat you use, you’ll want to check it and ensure it is working before winter. Getting repairs can take time, and you do not want to be stuck without heat once winter hits.
Inspect Walkways
After you’ve finished assessing your home’s interior and immediate exterior, you’ll want to take just a little extra time to check on your walkways and driveway. Winter can be a very damaging season for concrete since water can seep into cracks and expand as it turns to ice. This can result in large (and sometimes expensive to fix) cracks in your driveway or front walkway that you may not even notice until spring.
To prevent this from happening over the winter, it can be a good idea to give your walkways a good once-over and address any small cracks before the winter (so they do not get worse).
Address the Landscaping
Finally, you want to ensure that your lawn, shrubs, plants, and trees are taken care of. Going into the winter months with large, overgrown, and unkempt hedges can make it very difficult to keep a safe environment for walking — especially when it gets icy or slippery.
So, before the storms and other harsh weather hits, it is a great idea to bring out the hedge trimmers one last time and address any untidy landscaping.
Conclusion
If this list of areas to check in your home intimidates you, or you are unsure where to begin when it comes to the top fall checklist items like checking your roof and gutters, you may want to contact a professional. Quality Exteriors provides you with professional and expert recommendations when it comes to your roofing, and you can get a free inspection today for your roof.