Home maintenance is required year-round, but as we approach fall, now is the time to start thinking about buttoning things up before winter. Fall maintenance tasks are essential to keeping homes running properly, and investments cared for, as the cold weather begins to set in. At Duffy Home Solutions, our property management team is already beginning to handle some of these tasks for our Greenwich property management clients.

The following five home maintenance tasks for fall will keep systems operating efficiently and effectively, and will help homeowners avoid issues and damage to property that can occur when they are not attended to.

1) HVAC & Generator Preventative Maintenance

Heating system preventative maintenance in the fall can help keep the equipment running at peak efficiency and provide early detection of issues that may be on the horizon. Catching problems early can help ensure they do not become larger issues when you need the equipment to work the most.

After the hot and humid summer season, HVAC filters should be changed and the ductwork should be checked for moisture or mold spores. These are just a few of the steps that are address as part of Duffy Home Solutions’ multi-point HVAC tune-up.

The same preventative maintenance principles apply to generator upkeep. Statistics have shown that 70% of residential generators don’t operate when needed because they have not been consistently maintained. Regular scheduled tune-ups can help avoid battery failure, fuel contamination, worn-out components, and/or clogged filters. The generator should also be tested, since this equipment is not running on a regular basis.

2) Cleaning and Storing Outdoor Cushions

By the end of summer, outdoor cushions likely need to be freshened up, and they should be stored before the harsh weather sets in. Storing outdoor furniture cushions will help keep them safe from falling autumn debris, harsh sunlight, freezing and thawing in winter, and moisture, which can lead to mold and mildew. It will also help keep them safe from pests.

The Duffy Home Solutions property management team’s cushion cleaning and storage service is a popular offering this time of year. We take all outdoor furniture cushions away, have them professionally cleaned and repaired, if necessary, and then store them in a clean temperature and humidity-controlled environment. We then put them back in place the following spring.

3) Chimney Cleaning

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends having chimneys cleaned once per year. This is a job for professionals and fall is a good time to have it done. There are a host of reasons why chimney cleaning is important. Creosote, that builds up inside the chimney lining can combust. Creosote is the flammable tar like byproduct of burning wood. High temperatures can ignite the substance, leading to a dangerous chimney fire.

Clogged chimneys can block carbon monoxide from exiting the flu, potentially causing it to back up into the house. And annual chimney cleaning can help to identify any structural issues that may be occurring, allowing them to be addressed before they become larger problems.

4) Gutter Cleaning

The best time to handle this fall property management task is typically at the end of the season after all of leaves have come down and before the snow starts falling. Removing leaves and debris from gutters is critical to keeping them flowing effectively. Clogged gutters can cause overflow, which can back water up onto the roof and under the shingles. Water backup can lead to rot and mold on and under the shingles.

Overflow also causes water to pour directly down the sides of the home and collect around the foundation and crawl spaces. When this happens, it can cause hydrostatic pressure against the foundation walls. This can lead to cracks in the foundation and eventually water seepage into the basement. Flooding can compromise the integrity of the structure and lead to serious mold issues, particularly in finished lower-level spaces.

5) Cover and Store Outdoor Furniture

Exposure to moisture, sun and freezing and thawing ice and snow on outdoor furniture can lead to mold and cracks in the wood, rust on metal, and fading of the furniture surfaces. The Duffy Home Solutions property management team recommends storing the furniture in a dry environment and/or covering it once the cushions have been put away.

Getting The Right Help Can Make All the Difference

Finding multiple, reliable service providers to handle your fall maintenance work can be a challenge. At Duffy Home Solutions, our property management team is a single source for all of these critical maintenance tasks, and many others. We are a Greenwich based home maintenance and upkeep provider that is trusted by numerous luxury properties across town. Call us for a free consultation.