2014 Fall Maintenance Tips for North Texas

Get your heating system in order. Schedule your fall HVAC checkup promptly; you can expect to pay in the neighborhood of $50 to $300 for a heating tune-up. Make sure your HVAC professional checks all electrical connections, lubricates any moving parts if necessary, and inspects the condensate drain and trap. If you have a gas furnace, make sure he also checks gas connections and pressure, burner combustion, and the heat exchanger. Inspect your furnace filters monthly and change them whenever they are dirty. Inspect floor grates and return ducts regularly and clean them out with a vacuum cleaner brush.

Clean your gutters. Debris in your gutters can easily divert water onto the roof or siding, setting the stage for mold and rot and dramatically shortening the lifespan of shingles and paint. Inspect and 

clean your gutters in the late fall after leaves have dropped.

Put away lawn and garden equipment. Pick up anything in the yard that could be damaged by cold or snow, such as garden tools, hoses and nozzles, and patio furniture and accessories. Run your lawn mower until it’s out of gas, if possible; if you leave gas in the tank over the winter, it can degrade and lose some of its combustion ability.

Trim back vegetation. Plants may grow year-round in some areas, so it’s important to keep an eye on whether they’re encroaching on the roof and walls. Trim trees so that branches don’t hang over the roof, and keep heavy, dense growth away from siding. A good rule of thumb is to trim back bushes and shrubs so that there’s enough room to walk easily between plantings and your house.

Pick up a paintbrush. Fall is a great time to paint your house’s exterior if necessary, sealing all surfaces before winter’s moisture has a chance to do damage. Look for signs of leaky gutters, crumbling caulk, and loose siding that can trap moisture underneath.

Check weatherstripping and caulk. Open all your exterior doors and check the weatherstripping; if yours is crumbly or has gaps, replace it. Remove the old weatherstripping with a utility knife and clean the surface with household cleaner, getting as much of the old debris and adhesive off as possible. When the surface is dry, apply peel-and-stick foam weatherstripping. 

Inspect windows and doors for any gaps between the trim and the exterior siding that allow air to penetrate from the outside; these gaps should be caulked. Be sure to scrape out any crumbling old caulk or paint — applying new caulk over old is fine, but first get rid of loose chunks and remove any grit with household cleaner.

 

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