Fall/Winter Seasonal Tasks

• You should do a trial run on you furnace early in the fall.  If you find at that time that your furnace needs maintenance, there will be time to have a service completed before cold weather sets in.
• Before use, inspect fireplace and damper for proper operation.
• Make sure all exterior doors are properly sealed at the door jambs and sill plates, with water proof silicone.
• Apply fertilizer and weed pre-emergent to cool season grass (fescue) lawns at this time.
• Check all door weather stripping for damage, tight seals, and that thresholds are adjusted for a good seal.
• Check your windows for any cracks in the caulking at the siding and trim.
• Keep garage doors closed as much as possible to prevent heat loss from the interior of home.
• Remove all leaves and twig’s from your down spouts and gutters to prevent drainage problems.
• Know the right time to reseal your deck. Take a glass of water and pour some on the decking. If the water puddles up, then the sealer is still working. If not, then reseal.  Reseal the deck a minimum of once a year.
• Cleaning leaves and branches from deck on a regular basis will help prevent wood rot.
• Cut off the water to your exterior hose bibs (faucet) before outside temperatures get into the thirties and forties.  Remove hoses and turn off inside valve for each of these to stop possibility of freeze breaks.