Even though autumn hasn’t officially arrived trees are changing colour, there are already leaves on the ground, morning air feels a little cooler, and the sun sets earlier. Exterior home maintenance is important to ensure your home is ready for winter.
Inspect the Roof
From the ground or from a ladder, conduct a visual inspection of your roof with binoculars. Avoid walking directly on the roof unless absolutely necessary. Look for:
- Raised nail heads
- Dented flashing
- Broken seals
- Damaged or missing roof shingles
- Signs of pests – droppings, gnawed roofing tiles, nests in roof valleys and in gutters
Before winter, tighten loose hardware, replace dented flashing, replace or re-caulk broken seals, repair damaged tiles, replace missing shingles, and remove nests.
Clean and Inspect the Siding
Start with thoroughly cleaning the siding with a mild solution of water and detergent. Remove accumulated grime, dust, particles, and stains and then rinse soapy residue off from one section before moving on to the next.
If mould, mildew, or algae is present, and bleach to the water/detergent solution before applying it to the siding.
Inspect siding for holes, dents (aluminum siding), wood rot, and loose or missing siding panels. Holes, soft spots, and gaps can be an invitation to rodents and other kinds of pests to take up residence in your home. Make repairs before the winter months to prevent pest infestations and having to deal with issues during cold and rainy weather.
Check the Foundation
Your foundation holds up your entire home. Check the foundation for damage. Start inside the house – doors won’t open and shut smoothly; windows get stuck half-way; and warped floor boards or buckled flooring tiles are often an indication of a shifting foundation. Other things to check include:
- Hairline cracks
- Deep cracks
- Soil erosion
- Water stains
Foundation problems rarely go away on their own. It’s important to address these issues, especially if you plan on remodeling sometime in the future.
Clean the Gutters
Cleaning the gutters in the fall is one of the most important home maintenance tasks. While it’s possible for your gutters to be filled with debris and still work, you risk having a major fail in the middle of winter. Gutter cleaning sometime during the autumn removes clogs (and the potential for disaster) from the gutter system.
It also is the perfect opportunity to see what the downspouts are up to. Make sure there are no blockages, no missing brackets, and all downpipes are properly and securely attached to exterior walls.
TLC Entry Doors and Windows
The entry doors to your home, especially the front door, welcome you and your family home and guide guests inside. Wash them to remove dirt and then polish the hardware to an impressive shine.
If the area inside around the backdoor or front door is drafty, find out where the drafts are coming from. Examine the exterior and interior door trim for cracks, wood rot, and other kinds of damage. Prevent heat from escaping your home by weatherstripping gaps around the moving parts of doors; caulking gaps and cracks on parts that remain stationary, and even door/trim replacement if necessary.
Clean the windows so that you will let in the maximum amount of light as the days get shorter.
Inspect window trim for cracks, holes, and rotting. Make repairs as soon as you can.
