Looking to Sell a House in the Puget Sound? Call 425-308-6641 or use our instant home value estimator.
Home Maintenance Tips for Snohomish County Residents
It is that time of year where doing home maintenance is a must. By maintaining your home on a regular basis it will help you save a lot of money in the long run. With the season changing to fall it is important to take the steps to prepare for the fall and winter season. The Diemert Properties Group have put together a list of some of the main things you can do to get your Snohomish County home ready for fall. There are many great contractor companies in Snohomish County that can help you protect your home.
See original Blog post on Diemert Properties Group Website!
Roof Maintenance:
Protecting the roof on your house is one of the most important things you can do! It is what protects your home from keeping moisture out. Here are a few key points of what you can do to prepare your roof for the upcoming seasons.
- Remove moss from the roof by using solutions found at home improvement centers. Make sure to follow the manufactures instructions. Avoid using a pressure washers, they are too powerful and usually will cause more harm than good.
- Check the condition of flashing and repair any loose or damaged shingles. It is better to replace them now versus having to replace the whole roof down the road.
- CLEAN THE GUTTERS. This one is very important and fairly easy to do. Even a small amount of leaves can clog your downspouts and cause issues with your roof.
- Keep trees and branches trimmed back 6 feet away from the roof.
Exterior House Maintenance:
Here are some helpful tips to keep the outside of your house protected from the weather.
- Trim all branches, shrubs, bushes away from the siding at least by 1 foot.
- Keep earth 6 inches away and below the siding and all other wood while maintaining a gentle slope away from the home.
- Remove all leafs, branches and any other debris away from the house to keep pests out.
- If you store firewood outside make sure it is at leas 10 feet away from the house to avoid pest infestation.
- To protect your home from water, keep all gaps and joints in siding caulked and well sealed. Even around doors and windows.
- Add storm windows in older homes to save money and have a more efficient house.
- Check for peeling paint. If the paint is chipping it is a sign that the paint film can no longer protect your house.
Do you need a handyman? Click here to see our reccomendations.
Under the House Maintenance:
Even though you don’t typically go in the crawl space very often, it is a very important place to keep in top shape. The foundation is your houses base and supports the house. It holds the plumbing, insulation, and vents to keep the house moisture free.
- Make sure all of the plumbing lines are insulated to help protect them from freezing.
- Keep all foundation vents unblocked year round, except during the freezing months of winter to provide adequate ventilation. Especially during fall and winter when it is the most damp time of year. You will want to measure and purchase the correct size of vent plugs before the freezing weather starts.
Fireplace Maintenance:
Many house fires happen because of the lack of keeping the fireplace maintained. Many people don’t think about the fact that it goes months in the spring and summer without much use, soot build up can happen and potentially catch fire. Make sure to clean it before using it this season.
- Have chimneys and flues professionally cleaned before using. Soot build up can lead to fires which often cause house fires.
Furnace Maintenance:
- Gas and propane furnaces should be serviced on an annual basis.
- Clean or replace the filters.
- Have heat registers professionally cleaned or vacuum them out as much as possible to cut down on the dust in the air.
Interior House Maintenance:
- Check the weather stripping around doors and windows. If you can see light shining in around a closed door you need to have it fixed.
- Replace smoke alarm batteries and carbon monoxide monitor batteries. If you have a house with gas, propane or an attached garage and do not have a carbon monoxide monitor you need to get one for each floor of the house. It is also required if you go to sell your house to have them.
- Add UV lights to add more light to your house if you don’t like the dark gloomy fall days. They help to lighten up the house.
- Change the direction of your ceiling fan. It will redistribute the warm air throughout the house.
Need a handyman to help? Click here to see our reccomendations.
Plumbing Maintenance:
- If you do not have frost free hose faucets make sure to turn the faucets off or insulate them at interior and exterior.
- Remove all hoses even if you have frost free faucets. Freezing water from hose can damage the water lines.
Need a plumber to help? Click here to see our reccomendations.
You might also like:
