November is the perfect transitional month to tackle home maintenance tasks that will prepare your home for the winter season! Here are five quick steps you can take this month:
*Check baseboards, wall/ceiling junctures, windows and doors, lighting fixtures, switches, and electrical outlets for cracks and spaces that are letting heat out. Have these areas sealed and you can see energy savings from 5% to 30% per year!
*Replace fire alarm batteries or test hard-wired fire alarms; dead batteries cause 24% of smoke alarm failures. If you cannot access your alarm yourself, you can call an electrician or handyman to check your detector.
*Service your HVAC system to ensure it runs safely and efficiently throughout the winter. HVAC experts are the best resource for inspecting and tuning up your system, including checking functionality and making sure carbon monoxide is not leaking.
*Rake and bag dead leaves from your lawn. Lawn maintenance services charge on average $50 to rake leaves and can also aerate and reseed your lawn so it will be healthier in the spring.
*To safeguard against pests entering your home, replace all damaged roof tiles and attic vents, and seal any holes around plumbing pipes and cables that enter your house.