Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

By Fran Campbell - October 25, 2019

Buying a home at the Lake of the Ozarks is one of the biggest personal investments you will make. Whether you are currently a homeowner, or in the market to purchase a home very soon, Fall is a great time of year to do some seasonal maintenance on your home. Keeping up with necessary home maintenance each year helps to keep your home in tip-top shape. Read on to get a handy list from the Fran Campbell Team for your fall home maintenance checklist.

Prepare Your Deck For Winter

While it was fun sitting on the deck for the summer, it's time to start packing things up. You can cover and store your patio furniture, inspect your deck for any places that need repairs, and don't forget to cover up your grill! You can also empty any planters that still have dirt in them. Clay pots with dirt still in them can crack from the temperature changes

Check For Peeling Paint

While peeling or blistering paint may seem harmless, it can actually be a sign that the existing paint film is failing and is no longer protecting your home. While the weather is cool, take some time to repaint and repair.

Reverse Your Ceiling Fan

By remembering to reverse your ceiling fan, you can redistribute the warm air from the ceiling back down to your living space.

Cover Your Air Conditioners

Vacuuming out the internal parts of your air conditioners and then covering them with an appropriate cover can help your unit last longer and protect it from the elements. If you have a window unit, you can take them out or cover them up according to their instructions.

Clean Yard Equipment

You will most likely not need your lawnmowers and leaf blowers once you get the landscape cleaned up for the last time. Make sure that everything has been wiped down and cleaned up, as well as draining the fuel. You can also get any winter tools ready like your ice salt, snow shovel, etc.

Inspect the Roof

The combination of snow, ice, rain, wind and changing temperatures can wreak havoc on your roof. If you notice any warping, missing shingles, or a lot of granules at your rain spouts, call a serviceman to come out and take a look.

Prepare the Fireplace

It's time to get your fireplace and heating unit in working order. Your heating systems will last longer when you have them inspected on a regular basis and make repairs as they come up. If you are spending your first winter in the house, you will want to have your fireplace inspected to make sure that everything is safe for burning.

Seal Your Driveway

Sealing your driveway before winter comes will help it last longer. Inspect it for cracks, clean out and repair the damage with filler, and then coat it with a commercial sealer.

Clean The Gutters

After the leaves have fallen, you will want to empty the gutters and clean them out. Now you can inspect the joints and tighten any brackets. Ice dams can be detrimental to already weak systems, so you'll want to take care of them.

Caulk Windows

One of your main goals through the winter will be to retain heat and keep the cold out. One of the most cost-effective ways to do this is by caulking the windows and doors.

If you plan to sell your home at the Lake of the Ozarks at any time soon, keeping up with your home maintenance can help your home to appreciate in value rather than depreciate. If you're thinking about selling your home soon and you're wondering what your home is worth, contact the Fran Campbell Team and we can complete a market analysis on your home. For all your buying and selling needs contact the best real estate team at the Lake of the Ozarks - The Fran Campbell Team!