Preparing Your Home for Fall

With a couple short months left before fall creeps up and the weather begins to cool, now is the perfect time to complete a few last minute projects around the house. Whether you are tilling the garden beds or clearing out some of that clutter in the garage, the end of summer to do list can seem rather endless. However, there are a few household maintenance tasks that you might want to bump towards the front of your list in order to ensure that your household is ready for the changing weather to come.

Check out those gutters. Household gutters are notorious for getting clogged which could cause trouble as fall and winter bring heavy precipitation. Clogged, cracked, or damaged gutters can lead to flooding and structural water damage which can create a host of other complications, such as mold growth. If your home’s gutters do not have don’t have functioning gutter guards to help keep leaves, debris and animals out, it might be wise to consider installing some before fall arrives.

Examine your home’s weatherproofing. From the basement to the windows and doors, cracked or worn weather stripping, caulking and insulation can pose a huge problem for households as the weather changes. Without proper weatherproofing moisture and cold temperatures can enter into a household and case structural damage and nuisances for homeowners.

Test your smoke detectors. The National Fire Protection Association and the American Red Cross recommend checking all household fire alarms once a month to ensure that alarms are properly functioning. They also recommend changing the batteries every year and fully replacing all household alarms when the device reaches between five and ten years old. While most residents do not perform these checks every month, regularly checking that all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are fully operational could be the difference between life and death in an accident.

Change Your HVAC Filters. After months of hard air condition and house fan usage your HVAC filters could be looking pretty shabby. Dirty filters create strain on the HVAC system and could make them less effective at purifying the air that circulates though your home. Regularly changing the HVAC filters after heavy usage can not only improve the quality of air in your home, it can preserve the longevity of your units and help reduce utility costs as the units function more efficiently.

At Metro Boston Insurance Agency, we understand the risks you face as an homeowner. To learn more about our coverages as well as our other personal lines insurance policies, please contact us today at 617-884-5480.