Keeping your Chicago-area home well maintained helps protect the value of it. Every season there are a number of tasks you should aim to complete to ensure your home is in tip-top shape.
Fall tasks are especially important as when the winter weather hits, you may not have the opportunity to repair, replace, or upgrade exterior elements as easily as when the weather is more temperate.
As a homeowner (or future homebuyer) keep in mind that experts recommend you budget 1% to 4% of your home’s value annually for maintenance and repairs. In Elmhurst, with a medium home value of $650,000, that means $6,500 to $26,000 should be earmarked for this budget, including the to-do list items.
EXTERIOR
The goal during any Chicago winter is to keep the cold and moisture out of your home and keep the heat inside. Make sure you inspect your home’s exterior before winter hits and call in the professionals to get these tasks attended to ahead of that first snow. It’s a good idea to walk around your home in the winter, especially after storms to ensure you aren’t missing any small problems that could turn into emergency repairs later.
Roof
If your home’s roof has any leaks, missing shingles, or other roof problems, get them addressed before the colder, snowy weather hits. Talk to three roofing professionals to have your roof inspected and request estimates for any needed repairs they identify.
If your roof requires a total replacement, you might be able to schedule that before the snowflakes fly.
Gutters
After the last of the leaves drop, it’s important to get your gutters cleaned. This move ensures that fall and spring rains and melting winter snow will flow freely and easily through the gutters and not pool along your home’s foundation or back up on your roof.
Windows
If any of your windows have a cracked pane or the seal is broken, contact the manufacturer of your windows to determine if your windows have any warranty for replacement or repairs. Get window issues addressed before cold weather hits to avoid heat escaping and cold air entering your home.
It’s also a good time to hire someone to get your windows cleaned (or DIY) as it’s much more difficult to do during the winter.
Driveway
If your driveway has cracks that need to be repaired or the asphalt resealed, now is the time to do that before the cold weather hits, but act fast before the trees drop all their leaves and make this job more difficult.
If you need an all-new driveway, it’s best to get estimates now and schedule work to occur in the spring.
Outside water
Have your sprinkler system serviced and drained for the season before freezing temperatures hit. If your exterior water faucets have their own inside shutoff valve, turn them off for the winter. Remove and drain hoses and other items attached to the faucet and store them for the winter.
If you have a pool, fountain, pond, or other water feature around your home, determine if it needs to be drained or otherwise winterized before winter hits to avoid broken pipes, damage, or other problems.
Landscaping
Don’t ignore the leaves! Get them raked up or mulch them into your lawn with mowing. Leaving damp, matted piles of leaves over the winter will kill your grass.
Fall is the best time to trim trees and bushes. The cooler weather means that the greenery is no longer in a growing cycle and you can safely lop off a branch or limb. If you aren’t comfortable with this job or the landscaping is too difficult to reach, hire a licensed professional.
Reseed your lawn in the fall well before the first frost. You can use a seed spreader for larger areas or hire a landscaper. The resulting secondary seedlings will be set for the springtime burst of growth.
INTERIOR
Keeping your home warm and cozy during the Chicago-area winter requires some prep in the fall. Check these important items off your to-do list to make sure your home is safe.
HVAC
Schedule a cleaning and inspection for your furnace. Replace furnace filters at least every quarter, or more often if you have pets, dusty home improvement projects ongoing, or any of your family members have allergies.
If you are thinking about replacing your furnace and it doesn’t need replacement right now, you may consider waiting until the spring to secure a better price.
Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
A good rule to follow is that when you set your clocks back an hour each fall, you also change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. This ensures that there are always fresh backup batteries in your detectors. Also, check the dates on your detectors and replace any that have expired.
Fireplace and chimney
If you have a fireplace, have it checked before beginning to use it in the winter. Gas log and wood burning fireplaces require the chimney to be clean and the damper to be functioning to be safe. Ensure outdoor vents are not blocked by nests or other obstructions.
Electric fireplaces require exterior cleaning including dusting of vents and glass cleaning. Do these tasks when the fireplace is off and the circuit breaker is tripped off.
Fire extinguishers
Check your extinguishers that you have in your kitchen, garage, shed, or cars. Ensure they haven’t expired and replace any that have. If you don’t have fire extinguishers in these places, purchase them and place them where combustible materials are located in your home. The kitchen is the most important place to have one.
Safety plan
Review the safety plan for your home. If you don’t have one, create one today. Determine where the closest exits are for each bedroom and review evacuation plans with your children, babysitters and nannies, as well as family and friends who overnight or spend time at your home. Establish an outside meeting area for all exiting your home to account for everyone quickly.
Garage
While the weather is still nice, make a point to clean out your garage. Put away sporting equipment, donate/sell/toss unwanted items, and organize remaining stuff with shelves and hooks. The goal? Make room to park your car(s) in the garage this winter. You will thank yourself every time it snows!
Share the info
If you learned something about maintaining your home this autumn, be sure to share this blog post with your neighbors, friends, and family who own homes. We’d also love to help those who might be buying or selling a home in the Chicago area this year.
LW Reedy is Elmhurst’s local real estate resource for 75 years and counting. Rely on us for useful, practical real estate information. Contact us with your real estate questions.
--
For more information about maintaining your home, preparing it for sale, or buying a new home in Chicagoland, contact your LW Reedy real estate agent.
