Buying a home is one of the largest investment most people make.  And it is an investment you will most likely hold onto for years to come.  Whenever my buyers purchase their home, I like to make sure that they know that the home needs to be maintained on a regular basis.   So, to help them maintain their home, and in celebration of the fact that today is the first day of Fall, I am listing below the things that a homeowner should do to help maintain their home and help to prevent little problems from becoming big & costly problems! 

•  Check the Heating System:  As the weather begins to turn colder, you want to make sure that your heating system is properly working.  I recommend that you have a licensed HVAC company come out and check the entire system, including the filter, pilot light & burners (if gas or oil fuel), clean the ducts, clean & vacuum dust from the vents, baseboard heaters & cold air returns. 
• Check the Fireplaces & Chimney:  Have a licensed chimney sweep check your entire fireplace system and clean it as well.  This would include checking the liner (if not a gas log, direct vent fireplace), the caps, the masonry work on the chimney. Have any bird nests removed.
• Test the fire alarms, smoke detectors & carbon monoxide detectors:  Make sure that the batteries are working properly.  You may wish to consider replacing all the batteries at this time.
• Check all window & door locks for proper operation:  Make sure that the locks work properly.
• Review your fire escape plan with your family:  Make sure that all family members know how to get out of the house in the event of a fire.
• Protect your home from frozen pipes:  Make sure you wrap any exposed pipes in order to make sure that they do not freeze & burst during the winter months.  Put away any hoses that are connected to outside faucets.
• Run all gas-powered lawn equipment until all the fuel is gone:  Do not leave your lawn mower and any other equipment with gasoline in it through the winter months.  Leaving the gas in the lawnmower over the winter may cause damage to the carburetor in the equipment.
• Make sure the caulking around the doors & windows is adequate to prevent heat loss.
• Make sure the caulking around the bathroom fixtures is adequate to prevent water from seeping into the subflooring.
• Check the roof & around the vents, skylights & chimneys for leaks.  A roofer can make any needed repairs.
• Clean gutters & drain pipes:  You don’t want leaves to clog them so water can properly drain.
• Window Air Conditioners:  Remove window air conditioners or put weatherproof covers on them.
• Storm Windows & Doors:  Take down any screens & replace with storm windows.
• Siding:  Look for cracks & holes  in the siding or paint and caulk & paint as needed.
• Hot Water Heater:  Drain the sediment from the bottom of the hot water heater tank.
• Clean & Store Patio Furniture.
• If you have a sump pump, test, clean & lubricate.
• Add compost, manure & mulch to the garden beds.
• Remove dead trees & shrubs
• Seed lawn if yard has patchy spots.
• Test emergency generator.
• Check irrigation system & fix any leaks.
• Stock up on wood & kindling for winter fires.
• Replace all spices & herbs.
• Store any hoses.

I hope you find the information here helpful.  Feel free to print out this blog & use it to help take care of your home.  And if you have any other things that you think should be added here, feel free to email me or leave a comment.  Happy Fall!!!