Time for your home’s fall check-up

A little elbow grease during the fall can save you big repair bills later on, keep your home energy efficient – and keep you safe. Here are some things to consider:

1) If you haven’t done so already this year, have your furnace serviced by a professional. Vacuum permanent furnace filters or change disposable filters in a forced air furnace system.

2) If you have a hot water heating system, bleed air out of the radiators. Also make sure the boiler is fliled to the correct water level.

3) Vacuum electric baseboard heaters.

4) Consider insulating your attic, basement, or other areas of potential heat loss.

5) After all the leaves have fallen, clean out your eavestroughs and downspouts to allow for water drainage in the spring.

6) Insulate any long stretches of hot water pipe that run through cold areas of your house such as a basement.

7) Replace outdoor light bulbs now to avoid doing the job when it’s really cold.

8) Clean the ducts of your central vacuuming system.

9) Check your roof for any necessary repairs such as replacing missing shingles.

10) Inspect and repair screens.

11) Trim any tree brancs growing close to your home or driveway so they don’t cause damage during the winter.

12) Remove or cover portable air conditioners and have them serviced. Cover condenser of a basement unit and turn off the electrical breaker that controls it.

13) Clean and reverse ceiling fans (set fans to blow up for the heating season and down for the cooling season).

14) Replace batteries in smoke alarms – some people do this with each time change (fall and spring). If you haven’t, now the time to start.

With files from Fifty-Plus.net