Fall Maintenance Tips - The fall of the year is a perfect time to get your house ready for the colder days ahead. Since you and your family will be spending more time inside, why not be comfortable in a healthy environment? Here are a few things to consider:
Insulate your home
Adding insulation to your attic is some of the best money you can spend on your home. Most of the cost of insulating your attic can be returned to you in energy savings in less than three years. One inexpensive method of insulating your windows is to install the "Window Insulator Kit" from Manco. It's available at most home centers for less than $10. It has a pre-taped top edge and applies to either the inside or outside of your windows.
For more info:
www.manco.com
Prepare for rodents
During the colder months, mice and other rodents love to find their way into your home where it's nice and warm. The first thing you need to do is to fill up any small holes or cracks that would allow possible entry into your home. Next, repair any water leaks of any kind. Rodents love water. Also consider using bait-filled traps like the "Protected Bait Station" from D-Con. It is safe to use around children and pets because it prevents them from being in contact with the bait.
Look for termite signs
While you are sealing up the cracks around your home, keep an eye out for signs of termites. Some signs include small holes in wood, crumbling drywall, presence of wings and termite tunnels. One prevention system to consider is "Termidor." It has been proven to be 100% effective in three months or less in any soil condition or temperature zone and lasts for at least five years.
For more info:
www.termidorhome.com
Improve your indoor air quality
It might surprise you to learn that 25% of people in this country suffer from some type of allergy. The best way to prevent suffering this winter is to keep your house clean. That starts with using a good, quality air filter on your furnace and changing it about once a month. Cleaning is a bit different in every room of your home, and I found something that makes it easy on you. It's called the "STAR Wheel" from Flonase, which stands for Steps Toward Allergy Relief. It is a chart that contains dozens of cleaning tips for all areas of your home.
For more info:
www.flonase.com
Other tips
Here are a few other things to think about:
- Check your chimney to make sure that nothing has built a nest in the flue.
- Inspect, clean and repair your gutters.
- Have your heating system cleaned and serviced.
