Homes For Sale in Wise County Texas – Now that the fall season is officially upon us, chances are you’re likely looking to hurry and finish up the vast majority of your fall home checklist before the winter season ultimately arrives.
Here are four last-minute tasks to consider removing from your fall home checklist.
*First and foremost, perhaps one of the most important last-minute tasks to remove from your fall home checklist is to clean and seal your deck. According to experts, you should take the time to “walk around the deck and sprinkle water on several different areas. If water soaks into the boards, it’s time to reseal the deck. If water forms a puddle or beads up, the deck is repelling water and will be safe for the winter.” Some of the most common methods to help protect the wood of your deck for the winter is to check for loose screws and nails, power wash on a day that is no colder than 40 degrees, inspect for any and all splinters and cracks, and add a water-repelling stain.
*Another important last-minute task to remove from your fall home checklist is to clean and inspect your fireplace. This is because proper chimney cleaning is one important task that should always be added to this kind of checklist. According to experts, “if your chimney has not been inspected or cleaned this past year, the very best time to do so is now, before the heating season.” When it comes to fireplaces, these can produce deposits that are not only combustible, but can also burn at well over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit as well. This is considered to be hot enough to destroy the liner of the chimney itself, as well as even set your home on fire.
*One other important last-minute task to remove from your fall home checklist is to clean and repair both your gutters and downspouts. While this may not be the most popular home maintenance task, it’s still extremely important to complete it during the fall season in order to prevent the creation of ice dams during the winter season. The best method to clean out your gutters is to remove any and all leaves, twigs, and other various forms of debris that is preventing a proper amount of drainage. From there, take the time to flush out your gutters with water and, if necessary, inspect all of the joints and tighten the brackets. If you’re looking for a more permanent solution, consider installing a gutter guard, as these are not only easy to install, but it will also prevent you from having to go up onto a ladder as well.
*Another important last-minute task to remove from your fall home checklist is to take the time to check all of your smoke detectors. During the fall and winter months, house fires are the most common, and smoke alarms are considered to be the first line of defense against this type of danger. According to experts, “three out of five home fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.” Some of the most common guidelines for maintaining smoke detectors include installing at least one alarm on every level of a home, testing the alarms monthly, replacing the batteries each time the alarm chirps, replacing the alarms ten years from the date of manufacture, and opting for interconnected smoke alarms for full home protection.
