8 Exterior Fall Cleaning Tips

We’ve all heard of spring cleaning, but fall cleaning? The change of season is the perfect time to take a look at the interior and exterior of your home. Depending on where you live, it’s likely that you will soon be experiencing cold temperatures and more harsh weather conditions. Whether you are selling your home or happily hibernating in your home for the winter, a thorough fall cleaning is a great idea.

• Gutters. With the change of season comes a change of scenery, and often that means leaves and debris are falling into the gutters and downspouts. Clearing them out a few times per year, especially during your fall cleaning, will help prevent water from getting backed up and entering the home. Make sure the downspouts help guide water away from the house.

• Windows. Spray down the windows with a hose or cleaning product to help clear away nature’s build-up. Use this fall cleaning tip to help your windows shine.

• Deck. If you’re looking to sell your home during the next few months, a poorly-maintained deck can appear as a negative to potential buyers. Your deck can get worn and weathered by falling branches, leaves, and other debris from the autumn weather. Clear off the deck and hose it down to keep a clean look and extend the life of your deck.

• Pool Maintenance. Depending on where you live, there’s a good chance you won’t be using your pool after September. Take the proper steps to ensure that your pool will not be damaged during the winter and will function properly next spring. Drain the pool and clean out the filtration system.

• Patio Furniture. If you don’t plan on spending time on the patio during the cold winter months, clean up your patio furniture and place it in storage. Take a few minutes during your fall cleaning to store it in the garage or a shed to prolong its life and protect it from the snow.

• Check Seals. Go around to the windows and doors on all exterior walls and make sure that all weather-stripping and caulking is still doing its job. Proper sealing can keep out the elements of a cold, harsh winter that you don’t want entering the home. If you’re planning to sell, small details like such as new weather stripping can go a long way for potential buyers.

• Hoses. Before freezing temperatures arrive, you’ll want to make sure that you disconnect the water hoses and shut off the outdoor water flow. This will help prevent frozen and bursting pipes that can lead to major headaches.

• Check Siding. Fall cleaning is a good time to check all aspects of the exterior including the siding of the home. The siding is the first point of contact with the outside elements. If small parts are beginning to show signs of fading, cracking, or other wear, you may want to look into a repair or partial siding replacement.
  

No matter where you live, we all experience the change in seasons. A good fall cleaning is a great idea whether you are trying to sell your home or happily staying put. When it’s time to buy or sell a home, get in touch with the home inspection experts at Inspect-It 1st. We pride ourselves on our thorough and honest property inspections for both buyers and sellers.