Homeowner’s Fall Maintenance Checklist
Summer always seems to slip by so quickly here in the northern Midwest. And while we hope you’re enjoying this crisp sweater weather and pumpkin spice everything, we also want to remind you that NOW is a great time to ready your home for what’s to come.
As a homeowner, a little bit of preventative maintenance can go a long way in helping you avoid unplanned expenses throughout our harsh Wisconsin winters. Here’s our top tips to ready your home for winter in Wisconsin this year.
- Clean Your Gutters – clogged gutters can cause many problems including ice damning, wood rot and water backing up and seeping in through your foundation. To avoid this, hire a local professional to remove all debris from your gutters and check that buried runs are clear as well. PRO TIP: Schedule your gutter cleaning for later October when the majority of leaves have already fallen off the trees. If you want to go a step further, have a professional install gutter guards. This will decrease or even eliminate the care and maintenance required to keep your gutters clean.
- Address Dead or Damaged Branches – Snow and ice buildup on dead or damaged branches poses a serious thread to your home, particularly if they’re hanging over your roofline. Avoid costly roof repairs by hiring a professional to address/remove any dead or damaged branches now.
- Winterize Windows – If you don’t have modern, energy-efficient windows, you can still take measures to reduce heat loss. If you have storm windows, be sure to install them. If you don’t, there are a number of economical/easy-to-install insulation kits you can purchase at your local hardware store.
- Get Your Furnace Serviced – Don’t wait until you actually need to turn your furnace on to learn that it’s not working properly. Instead, have your local HVAC company out to service your furnace now. They’ll make sure it’s running efficiently and complete any necessary repairs. (This saves you time and money in the long run because you’ll avoid the emergency service fees).
- Turn Off/Blow-Out Hose Bibs & Sprinklers – It is so easy to forget to turn off the water supply and blow out your hose bibs and sprinkler systems, only to have an early frost come through and cause a problem. This simple oversight can be extremely costly. So, be sure to take care of this task well before the threat of our first frost.
- Prepare For Snow Removal– Check that your snow shovels and snow blower are in proper working order. Purchase salt or sand for driveways and sidewalks. Don’t forget to fill up your gas tanks as well so you’re not stuck without gas the first time you need to fire up the snow thrower.
- Stack Firewood/Get Your Propane Tank Filled – if you have a natural fireplace, be sure to stock up on dry firewood. Likewise, if your home is powered by propane, be sure to get your tank filled up and sign up for automatic refills so you never run out.
We hope this helps you prepare for winter this year. If this list made you realize you’re ready to fly south and enjoy warmer weather year-round, we’re here to help. If you’d like more information, you can meet with one of our experienced Real Estate professionals to help you understand what it will take to sell your home quickly for the best price possible.
Jeff Braun Realty, LLC
1443 Main Street
Union Grove, WI 53182
262-878-9599
EHO