The fall season is approaching, as seen by the cooler weather and soon-to-fall leaves. For many, this may entail completing various tasks, including putting away their summer clothes and pulling out their thick sweaters and boots or preparing their vehicles for chilly weather.
Although fall can be one of the busiest and most enjoyable times of the year, it’s vital to keep in mind that there may be some house improvements that need to be made to get ready for the coming cooler months. Below are ten crucial fall break things to do, primarily if you reside in a cold environment, since the weather can change suddenly, and you don’t want to be caught off guard.
1. Repair Your Driveway
Carrying out asphalt driveway repairs and maintenance is among the vital fall break things to do as it will prevent your driveway from breaking down due to the winter’s intrusive moisture and freeze-thaw cycles. The top layer of your asphalt may be uneven if there are pools of water there. When this happens, it can be a sign of a more significant issue with the sub-base, and if it isn’t fixed soon, an uneven spot might quickly become a pothole.
The asphalt damage may also spread quickly due to water freezing in its cracks. Keep track of any surface irregularities and seek a reputable asphalt company to repair the cracks and potholes by sealing them with a water-resistant sealer. It will stop potholes from forming and maintain the quality of your asphalt.
It is essential to check to see if you have the tools you need to maintain your driveway over the fall and winter months. Purchase potassium chloride or magnesium calcium acetate, which are often gentler on asphalt driveways, and avoid some de-icers, such as rock salt, which can damage driveways.
2. Get Your Heater Inspected
Having your house heating system inspected before winter arrives is among the crucial fall break things to do. This task involves seeking a professional to check your boiler or furnace to determine if there is any evident damage. To ensure no issues or drafts, they may decide to clean out any soot present to enable the system to function more effectively.
You should make sure to ask the heating service provider to measure the combustion efficiency of your home heating system while they are there. It will enable you to gauge the impact of the cleaning and reveal how effectively the heat is circulating in your house.
A professional inspection of your furnace can guarantee that the airflow and related parts operate as intended. Most frequently, restricted or limited airflow places cause undue strain on a furnace, increasing maintenance costs and shortening lifespan. A yearly heating system inspection in the fall will assist you in avoiding having to buy replacement parts or possibly having the entire system fail.
Winter is a busy time since most consumers wait until there is a problem to call a technician to check on their furnace or heating system, resulting in a lengthier wait time. You’ll significantly save time by having your furnace inspected during the fall break since making an appointment that works with your schedule during the winter will be challenging.
3. Prepare Your Car for Cold Weather
You can already feel the arrival of colder weather as October begins to creep in, indicating that preparing and servicing your car are vital fall break things to do since the cold weather may have several detrimental effects on your vehicle. Therefore, it’s essential to check if your car’s fluids need to be changed since each is crucial to ensuring your car operates smoothly. They include the power steering, brakes, windshield washers, coolant, and transmission fluids.
Examine the tread, air pressure, and overall state of your tires. Rotate your tires to ensure that they wear equally and ensure that the right amount of air is in your tires. Tires lose air quickly in cold weather, so it’s crucial to maintain the recommended tire pressure.
Verify that your lights—including your headlights, taillights, brake lights, and flashers—are functioning correctly. Replace a damaged or blown-out bulb in adverse weather or other situations where visibility is poor since these lights ensure that other drivers can see you on the road.
Having your brakes checked is crucial before the fall and winter driving seasons start. Since snow and ice can cause the roadways to become slippery, cold weather worsens brake issues. If you hear any strange noises, your brake pads may be failing. Make sure your heating system and the defroster are functional as well. It is dangerous to drive with a fogged-up windscreen or an ineffective braking system; therefore, take your car to a nearby auto repair shop if either of these auto parts needs to be fixed.
You must also check your batteries before the cold months arrive since the last thing you want is to find out that your automobile won’t start. It may even be life-threatening when it happens at an incorrect time or place. Visit your neighborhood mechanic to check your car’s battery fluid to ensure it’s at the correct level and replace old batteries. They should also clean the connecting terminals of any corrosion that may have accumulated.
4. Get Your Roof Repaired
Getting a professional inspection is one of the most crucial fall break things to do to ensure your roof is ready for the upcoming fall and winter seasons. Therefore, you need to hire an experienced roofer to thoroughly evaluate your roof during the roofing inspection to look for any signs of damage, no matter how minor, fix them, and maintain your roof operating at its peak.
Gutter protection is a roofing element that is frequently disregarded despite being crucial to the safety of your roof. Your gutters play a crucial role in removing water from your roof and directing it away from the foundation of your house. Clogged gutters may become an even bigger issue in winter because stagnant water can freeze and form ice dams.
Stagnant water traps more ice and snow on your roof, adds a significant amount of extra weight to your gutters, and may even cause them to detach from your home if you aren’t careful. Therefore, it is essential to have a qualified roofing contractor clean your gutters this fall break to avoid such a scenario.
5. Schedule an Appointment for Septic System Maintenance
The fall is the ideal time to inspect your septic tank and complete any maintenance you may have put off. Preventive treatment, such as pumping your septic tank, is also among the essential fall break things to do so you won’t have to worry about anything developing during winter. It can be challenging to pump your septic tank in the winter since the cold can compact the earth around your septic system, along with the presence of snow, making the entire system difficult to access.
Hire a professional septic system services provider to examine your home’s interior and exterior pipes, the risers and lids of your septic tank, and remedy any leaks. Failure to repair them during the fall break may cause them to freeze in winter, and such freezing might result in the concrete’s cracking, leading to a septic system leakage.
Septic system parts, including the tank, pipe, and effluent filters, could be harmed by cold temperatures. The easiest method to avoid problems brought on by the cold is to insulate these components by letting your grass extend over the tank and into the drain field. Longer grass will assist in avoiding cold ground and a frozen tank by preventing moisture from instantly sinking into the ground. You can also cover the area with mulch, which helps the soil retain heat if you anticipate a freezing winter.
6. Update Your Garage Door
You probably use your garage door daily, which may lead to malfunctions or potential alterations. Therefore, repairing or completely updating your garage door is also part of the critical fall break things to do in ensuring your home’s garage is functional during the winter season.
If your current garage door does not need replacement, it’s still crucial to confirm that all its moving parts operate correctly. The door panels, hinges, rollers, and tracks may wear or deform over time; hence an inspection will reveal whether you require garage door repair services from an expert.
Also, check the operation of the button switch and remote, as well as the safety of the low-voltage electrical line, to ensure it creates a tight seal when the door closes. The garage will be more resistant to winter weather and pest incursions if it has a robust seal.
7. Fix Up Your Home’s Exterior
Another vital task among the fall break things to do is preparing your home’s exterior for the fall and winter seasons. For instance, cracks and open areas are ideal hiding places for pests and other deadly creatures like snakes seeking shelter as the onset of the cold season in the fall approaches. Therefore, now is the moment to inspect your home and seal any cracks or openings to avoid such issues.
Repainting the exterior walls of your home is also essential since worn-out paint poses a maintenance concern by making the wood vulnerable to rot, causing fissures in the floorboards and walls. Repainting your walls will ward off termites and prevent the wooden exterior from decaying. It will also keep your house comfortable while enhancing its appearance and market value.
Fixing your exterior staircase is also part of the crucial fall break things to do to avoid accidents from slippery steps. You can have a professional technician install a non-slip coating on the staircase or an abrasive tape that creates the required roughness to allow you and your family to climb the steps securely. You should also ensure the stairs are well-lit at night and have strong handrails for support.
8. Complete Any Indoor Renovation Projects
With the onset of colder weather, you’ll probably want to spend more time inside, so taking advantage of the time in the late summer and early fall offers the perfect opportunity for any restoration tasks. Repainting your interior home walls is among the essential fall break things to do because the weather is cooler and less humid.
Energy efficiency is essential in a home remodel project by representing how well a house maintains its internal temperature. Having multiple heat-diffusing glass panels installed in your windows (or glass doors) will help minimize the amount of heat or cold that passes through.
9. Make Your Living Room Cozy With a New Fireplace
An effective fireplace in your living room is critical as it creates coziness and provides much-needed heat during the cold season. Installing a new gas fireplace can be considered as part of the essential fall break things to do due to the benefits associated with this option.
One main advantage is that a button or remote can regulate the heat in a gas fireplace. Remote controllers make it simple to program your heat and choose the ideal temperature. Another button switches off the fire when you are prepared to leave the house or retire to bed. Gathering and preparing wood in a gas fireplace is unnecessary since it is entirely self-sufficient, and no pellets or wood chips are required.
10. Get Your Electrical Systems Inspected
Another crucial task among the fall break things to do should be having a professional electrician perform a thorough electrical inspection to enable you to enjoy staying in your house without having to worry about things like loose wiring and faulty outlets constantly jeopardizing your home’s safety.
Your home’s electric panel is the most vital part that needs to be inspected since it controls the entire electrical system by distributing a constant flow of electricity throughout your house. This assessment will enable them to detect issues such as tripped circuit breakers and fix them immediately. They should also examine the outdoor safety lighting to ensure it is in perfect condition since night falls much earlier in the fall and winter.
These ten fall break things to do will ensure your car and home are ready for the upcoming fall season while also helping you avoid costly emergency repairs and energy waste. Maintaining your property properly increases its appeal and worth and takes less work than handling a disaster down the road.