Fall Home Maintenance Checklist
Use the tips below to help prevent expensive problems and ensure a safe and healthy home throughout the winter.
1. Have the heating system serviced and cleaned, including any fireplaces.
2. Check windows and doors for leaks and drafts.
** Wetting your hand before placing it near potential draft points makes it easier to detect air currents. Silicone caulk products often work well for sealing.
3. Change batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
4. Check fire extinguishers to make sure they are in working order.
** The
Fire Extinguisher 101 website is a great guide to choosing and operating fire extinguishers.
5. Check the attic for signs of mold, pest entry points such as damaged vent screens, and poor ventilation.
** Attic air should not feel moist. Home inspectors generally prefer to feel a very slight breeze indicating sufficient air movement and ventilation.
6. Make sure gutters and downspouts are clear of debris.
** Downspouts should discharge water well away from the home perimeter. Extensions and splash blocks are sold at many hardware stores.
7. Inspect the roof for loose shingles, worn material, and loss of integrity to flashings around skylights and vents.
** Even if you can't actually walk the roof, using a ladder and/or binoculars to get a better look is helpful.
8. Drain exterior faucets and buy insulating faucet covers if necessary.
9. Plant spring flowering bulbs, and remove dry or dead annuals.
10. Consider mowing leaves into the lawn.
** A
Michigan State University study found that mowing leaves into small pieces and leaving them on the grass resulted in lawns that were greener, had fewer weeds, and required less fertilizer. (This needs to be done in the fall, before leaves decompose.)
11. Drain gasoline from gas-powered appliances that will not be used.
Note: Please reply to this email or give a call for a recommendation before hiring a contractor based on an online directory or a coupon, even if it's a widely-trusted source like Angie's List. There are good and not-so-good contractors listed on every service, and nothing beats a known track record of excellent performance.
When Is a Good Time to Take Down the Hummingbird Feeder?
Over-wintering hummingbirds are a common occurrence in many cold areas, and although some experts say that the urge to migrate is entirely triggered by day length, others find it hard to imagine that the birds would stay on if there weren't a food source readily available. A safe bet is to either
take it down in the fall in order to encourage them to migrate, or commit to maintaining the feeder throughout the entire winter. (This includes keeping it warm enough for the food to stay liquid.)
When hummingbird feeders are allowed to freeze solid or are removed mid-winter, the birds can end up essentially stranded, with few or no insects to prey upon, no natural sources of nectar, and not enough stored energy to migrate to a warmer climate.
People have come up with all kinds of ingenious ways to keep their hummingbird feeders warm in cold weather. Here are some
DIY options (scroll to the bottom of the page), or a pre-made version for under $30 is the
Hummers Heated Delight, which the maker says works down to 1 degree Fahrenheit.
A Message from the Drain Lines:
5 Things to NOT Put Down a Garbage Disposal
This isn't a seasonal tip, but it could still save you some headaches this fall! Here's a surprising list of things some experts say should
not go into the garbage disposal:
1. Potato peels: The starch in the potatoes can create a gummy buildup.
2. Rice and pasta: They swell up when wet, which can lead to clogs.
3. Fat and oils: OK, most people know this one. If you do put something fatty into the disposal, use cold water rather than hot to flush it so that the fat hardens and can be ground up.
4. Fibrous materials: Foods such as celery and onion skins can be hard on the unit.
5. Egg shells: Many people disagree with this, but Angie's List says the membrane inside of the shell can bind up the mechanism, and egg shell powder can accumulate in pipes to create blockages.
Which leads to the obvious question: What
can you safely put down the disposal? :) Most people use it for all of the above without incident, but it doesn't hurt to know which items might be the culprits if your disposal is having problems.
Recent Market Highlights
- U.S. home prices rose 4.7 percent year-to-year in July, according to a
recent S&P/Case-Shiller report. They rose 6.9 percent year-to-year in August,
according to CoreLogic, a data and analytics company.
- The national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate has remained close to 4 percent.
The August Pending Home Sales Index rose 6.1 percent year-to-year, according to the
National Association of Realtors®. 
