Welcome to November! In the Tri-State, this month is all about transition. We typically see a noticeable shift in our weather during this month, and we also begin to gear up for the holiday season (holiday open houses at our local shops are this weekend!). Summer is long gone, fall has been in full swing, and we certainly need to get our homes (and ourselves) prepared for winter.
This week, we are sharing a few maintenance ideas for homeowners to work on throughout this month. Speaking from experience, it's best to try to get these items completed before Thanksgiving. Then you will be able to relax and work on your normal cleaning and cooking for holiday festivities, and of course just enjoy time with family and friends.
November Home Maintenance Tips
1. Review the family fire escape plan with every member of your household. Statistically, more house fires occur during the winter months because of space heaters, generators, candles, etc.
2. When setting clocks back to Standard Time (fall back 1 hour this Sunday), change the batteries in all your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
3. Inspect your automatic garage door opener and lubricate the tracks according to the manufacturer's directions. Make sure all the bolts and screws are properly tightened and secured. This is important because your garage door function will be affected by the freeze/thaw pattern we experience during the winter.
4. Check for leaks around your washing machine. According to our research, prime locations for leaks are the water supply hose washers that connect to the machine. Inspect the hoses and replace if necessary. This is just part of annual home maintenance.
5. Prepare your fireplace for use during the winter. Discard old ashes if your fireplace is wood-burning, and ensure the flue/damper is open to allow air to freely move through the chimney. If the air becomes cold, close the damper after you've cleaned it or all that cold air will make your home chilly. Check the damper handle and springs to ensure the flue is operating correctly, so when you build that cozy fire, it will ventilate properly.
6. Make sure your gutters are clean. Clear out leaves and other debris so they do not freeze and crack your gutters as the weather gets cold. This could get very expensive and cause other problems if it's not taken care of before we have snow or freezing rain -- those forgotten leaves will get heavy very quickly!
We hope you all enjoy this beautiful month, and be sure to get outside and make the most out of the remaining nice days in our forecast! We should all try to take advantage of warm weather as we make our way through November because we know cold days are ahead.
Have a great week!
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