You can save yourself a significant amount of money on repairs by doing a little preventative maintenance a few times a year. With the summer getting ready to come to a close, now is the perfect time to do some of this maintenance and get your home ready for fall.

In this post, we are going to look at a few of the home maintenance tasks you should do to prepare your home for fall.

Inspect Your Roof

It is a good idea to give your roof an annual inspection. Look for signs of leaks and check the roof for missing or broken shingles. You should also check the flashing around your chimney and the seal around anything that penetrates the roof. If you catch these issues early, the repairs will be simpler and you can prevent additional damage.

Clean Your Gutters

You should be cleaning your gutters at least once a year. Clear all of the leaves and debris from the gutters and make sure the downspouts are clear. If you see any damage or notice any loose sections, you will want to do the repairs right away. Functional rain gutters do a lot to protect your home, so you don’t want to let them get clogged or ignore any damage.

Chimney Cleaning

If you have a chimney, now is a good time to have it cleaned. Cleaning your chimney will make sure it is clear to let smoke flow outside and it is also an important step for making sure your chimney is safe.

Change Furnace Filter

Your furnace has had the entire summer off, so you will want to check to make sure the filter is clean before you need to use it. Cleaning or changing the filter in your furnace is an important step for protecting your heating system and it will also help to maintain the efficiency of the furnace.

Check for Drafts

You won’t be able to heat your home efficiently if your doors or windows are letting in cool air. Check all of the doors and windows for drafts. If you find any, you may need to caulk around the door or window or replace the weather stripping.

Inspect Driveways and Walkways

Driveways and walkways are bound to have some damage eventually. If you catch small cracks early, they can be repaired with less work and you can keep the damage from getting worse. Take the time to check driveways, walkways and patios for damage and have it repaired as soon as possible.

Check Smoke and CO Detectors

If you haven’t checked your smoke and CO detectors in a while, the end of summer is a good time to do it. Go to each detector in your home and press the test button to make sure it still works. While you are there, you should also check the battery and replace it if needed.

The end of summer to the beginning of fall is a good reminder that you need to check on some basic maintenance issues around the home. It doesn’t take a lot of time or money to do this type of work and it can go a long way toward preventing issues with repairs.