home fall maintenance tips exterior

Home Fall Maintenance TipsExterior

Preventive Maintenance Tips

Before the Cold Season

Home Fall Maintenance Tips - Exterior

Climbing the ladder and walking the roof is dangerous.

You must be 100% comfortable with it!

Get a professional help if necessary!

Remember - Safety First!


Check house roof surface for any damage and perform repairs if

necessary


Inspect flashing around roof

penetrations, seal the gaps


• Check chimney walls for

deterioration

• Seal its top around the flue

• Install a rain cap if missing


Seal chimney crown to prevent water penetration and expansion of

cracks


Install protective screen / wire

mash around the chimney cap


Chimney screens prevent birds

from falling into the flue during

the cold season


Secure and clean gutters and

clogged downspouts

before the cold season


Seal leaking seams on

gutters


• Check soffit, fascia, and house trim for moisture

damage

• Fix damaged sections, scrape, caulk, and repaint


Check and seal all penetrations

around the windows, doors,

pipes, vents, etc. for gaps &

cracks


Clean clothes dryer vent, and

its vent pipe


Clothes dryer vent needs to be

cleaned more often than just

during your exterior fall

maintenance routine


Make sure that clothes dryer

vent covers have no screens of

any kind / damper or

louvers only


Make sure that the vent covers have not been

installed up side down


Replace damaged vent

covers and make sure that

dampers are operating

freely


Fix siding panels, seal gaps/cracks in stucco, Dryvit, brick, and stone

walls


Neglecting Dryvit finishes

maintenance can be devastating

and include mold contamination of

the house structure


Check weather stripping around

exterior doors and adjust

thresholds to prevent air drafts


Remove, drain, and store garden

hoses, drain exterior water

faucets


As an additional protection, you

can install removable

Styrofoam cover over the faucet


Before the cold season remove

sump pump discharge pipe

extensions resting on the

ground to prevent freezing


Check exterior electrical outlets

for GFCI protection and weatherproof

cover presence


Check and seal if necessary

cracked sidewalks and driveways to prevent or at

least slow down further

displacement


Asphalt driveways require

periodical application of sealer to slow

down their surface

deterioration


Winterize sprinkler system. Draining it is not enough; you’ll

need a compressor to

blow out remaining water

from lines


Keep leaves out of the drainage

channels around the property:

basement window wells,

basement exterior entrance,

etc.


Seal or remove (and seal the

openings) window or wall air conditioning

units to minimize air drafts


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home fall maintenance tips exterior

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