Fall has officially arrived in the Kansas City Metro, bringing with it cooler weather, shorter days, and changing—and falling!—leaves. The relatively mild temperatures early in the season make now the perfect time to prepare homes and lawns for the colder winter months ahead. Early preparation can help prevent damage and costly repairs later. From sealing drafts to cleaning gutters, a few simple steps this fall can help a house function more efficiently during the winter.
Schedule your furnace tune-up now to avoid delayed service calls once winter hits.
Get a Furnace Check
The last thing any homeowner wants is to fire up the furnace only to have it fail, leaving the house and family without heat. Every HVAC company’s schedule fills up once the temperatures drop below freezing, meaning that a homeowner could wait days for a technician to arrive.
Now is the time to schedule a professional inspection and cleaning. This is the best way to ensure that a furnace is in peak condition and ready to keep the home warm all winter long. Ellen’s go-to HVAC pro is Devon at I Am Heating & Cooling LLC. Give him a call at (816) 739-6525!
Also, be sure to help furnaces work more efficiently by changing filters and keeping new ones on hand to switch out. If there are any drafts around the house, use weather stripping or caulk to seal them up and keep the warm air in and the chilly air out.
With trees dumping thousands of leaves in the fall, gutter cleaning is essential during this season.
Clean Out Gutters and Downspouts
Never skip cleaning gutters and downspouts in the fall! Gutters have an important job: directing water away from foundations. When leaves, twigs, and debris accumulate to the point that they create blockages or slow water drainage, gutters may form an ice dam. Ice dams are thick ridges of ice that form along the eaves of the roof, trapping water and forcing it back up under the shingles. This can lead to leaks and water damage, followed by expensive repairs!
Blocked gutters are also breeding grounds for pests, which can lead to infestations. Overflowing gutters also allow water to settle around foundations or damage lawns, gardens, and landscaping.
Not sure which gutter company to call? Schedule a cleaning with Ellen’s go-to team over at Rigdon Inc.!
Stock up on leaf bags from the hardware store or schedule a professional leaf removal.
Winterize Your Yard
Lawns and gardens need attention in the fall to keep them safe all winter long. Homeowners in neighborhoods with large numbers of mature trees, like Brookside, know that leaf removal is one of the most grueling, annoying, and seemingly never-ending tasks of fall. Leaf removal is essential, though, as leaves can cause considerable damage to grass and provide hiding places for unwanted “visitors” like snakes or mice.
Fall is also the time to prune back any dead limbs from trees and shrubs. The season’s cooler temperatures allow larger plants to withstand more extensive pruning. Large dead limbs can pose a serious threat come winter when heavy snow or ice can cause them to break and fall, often landing in the most inconvenient places, like on the roof or the car! More sensitive plants should be covered with mulch or burlap to protect them from the cold.
When it comes to trimming the dogwood trees around her home, Ellen works with Jeremy at Ronin Tree Care. With his certification as an arborist, Jeremy prioritizes the health of every tree, ensuring that each job is executed with care and expertise. Give him a call at (816) 547-7595 or send him an email at ronintreecare@gmail.com.
Shingles damaged during summer storms should be repaired before winter hits!
Prepare Your Exterior
Take a few moments to do a quick visual inspection of the exterior of the house. Walk around the entire perimeter, looking for any spots where siding may be damaged or shingles are missing. Have these problem areas repaired now so they do not result in leaks during the winter that could lead to costly water damage.
Preparing the outside of the house for winter includes storing outdoor furniture, removing hoses, covering faucets, and putting covers on outdoor equipment like grills. Bonus tip—take the time to clean grills now so when the first warm day of spring arrives, the grill can be fired up and cookouts can start without delay!
Stock Your Emergency Kit
The power can go out at any time during the winter, so it is crucial to have a well-stocked emergency kit on hand. When major outages happen, it can be days before power is restored, so make sure to have plenty of flashlights, battery-powered lanterns, batteries, bottled water, extra medication, and nonperishable foods stored away just in case. Another emergency kit essential for Ellen, a portable battery for keeping your phone charged. This one from Amazon is Ellen’s favorite.
Make sure everyone in the family knows where to find the emergency kit. Just knowing that an emergency kit is ready and easy to find provides peace of mind whenever a power outage happens.
