It’s time to do a pre-flight check of your house.
A pre-flight check of your house? Let me explain: When pilots get ready to fly, they walk around their plane in a very deliberate way, checking and testing things on the plane to be certain they’re just right before they take off. You should do the same thing with your house now. Walk around outside and take a close look at everything you need to get you through winter without trouble.
Okay, that makes sense, but what am I looking for?
Look for anything you may need to seal up with some caulk. Windows, doors, driveways, bricks, etc. Look for any touch-up painting you may need to do on trim, gutters, doors or shutters. Look for lights that need attention, new bulbs maybe, cleaning, minor repair. Look at branches hanging low, drainage issues, look where snow will be piling up before you know it.
October can be a wonderful time of year to get these projects done. They’re often not too involved, and a trip to your local Ace Hardware store can get you set up with just the right products. October is not too cold yet to apply paint, caulk and sealants. The weather is just right for working outside, and you can listen to football games while you work!
This summer was a bit unusual. Hot and dry periods with some cool and wet weeks thrown in for good measure and it may have affected your house in ways you have not yet noticed. I know walking around mine I can see where soil has really dried out and shifted a bit. So, there’s a crack in the concrete. Well, when snow and rain gets in that crack, then freezes, expands and the crack becomes broken concrete, then it’s a real problem. The helpful folks at Ace Hardware are more than happy to help you get the right products to fill such cracks and keep them from getting worse.
Now is about the time your furnace starts running a bunch so look for anywhere you may be losing heat around windows and doors as well. It’s a great time to apply some weather stripping if you need it. This is sure better than having drafty, cold floors all winter long, and will save you money on your heat bill.
Insects love your house about this time of year, so look around at where they may be crawling in as well. You may have some dandy wasp nests built over the summer, you may have some spider internets – you know, world-wide-webs – to deal with as well. Rodents are also looking for the warmth of your home, so look for any places you may be inviting them in for a long winter’s stay. The helpful folks can help you get rid of bugs and deter rodents from coming in.
It’s the old adage, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So take some time now on the prevention side. Then you won’t be outside in January trying to cure something and being mad at yourself as well! Remember, Ace is the place for your pre-flight needs! What? It’s not that odd, haven’t you ever seen a housefly?