Specific home maintenance tasks should be completed each season to prevent structural damage, save energy, and keep all your home’s systems running properly. These maintenance tasks are most important for the South in fall and winter.
Critical maintenance tasks to perform
• Get your heating system in order. Add programmable thermostats to your home; they can help save around $180 a year on your energy bills. If you have a heat pump, install a programmable thermostat specially designed for heat pumps. Programmable thermostats for heat pumps are specially designed to keep these systems working at peak efficiency. Schedule your fall HVAC checkup promptly. Ensure you have all electrical connections checked, all moving parts lubricated if necessary, and the condensate drain and trap inspected.
• Clean your gutters. In the South, you’re less likely to have ice form in your gutters than in other parts of the country. Nevertheless, 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 weather and/or ice, such as garden tools, hoses and nozzles, and patio furniture and accessories. Run your lawn mower until it’s out of gas, if possible; leaving gas in the tank over the winter can degrade and lose some of its combustion ability. Worse, gas can react with the air in the tank and oxidize, forming deposits that affect the machine’s performance; worse still, moisture can condense inside the tank and cause rust that can block the fuel lines. If you know you’ll leave gas in the tank over the winter, add a stabilizer to the last gallon of gas you put in (mix it in the gas can, not the mower tank, to get the mixing ratio correct).
• Trim back vegetation. In some areas of the South, plants grow year-round, so it’s essential to keep an eye on whether they’re encroaching on the roof and walls. Have your trees trimmed so branches don’t hang over the top and keep heavy, dense growth away from siding? A good rule of thumb is to trim back bushes and shrubs so there’s enough room to walk easily between plantings and your house.
• Check weatherstripping and caulk. Open all your exterior doors and check the weatherstripping; replace it if it is crumbly or has gaps. Remove the old weatherstripping with a utility knife and clean the surface with a household cleaner, removing as much of the old debris and adhesive as possible. When the surface is dry, apply peel-and-stick foam weatherstripping. Start at the top of the door frame and work your way down, being careful not to stretch the foam strip, which can weaken the adhesive. Inspect windows and doors for 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.
Spending a few hours here and there on home maintenance tasks helps you spot developing problems quickly and prevent costly repairs.
Information Source: http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/maintenance-repair/fall-winter-seasonal-maintenance-guide-south/