Prepare for Fall

October is the perfect month to accomplish your annual home maintenance and be ready for winter. From fire safety to yard work, a little work and money now will save you a lot of both later. If you need a contractor to do the work for you, I have a list of trusted professionals ready to help you on short notice.

If you’ve considered selling your house, you should accomplish this list to get it ready to show to prospective buyers. Then, you’ll need to text, call or email me. I can help you get it sold fast!

I've Got Your Six!

Mark M. Hancock
REALTOR®, GRI, MRP, New Build certified
214-862-7212 (call or text)
markhancockrealty@gmail.com
DFWmark.com

Change Batteries
Change the batteries in all detectors (smoke, gas, fire, etc.) and test them to ensure they work properly. Replace if it malfunctions. Fire Prevention Week is the first full week in October, it’s a good reminder to check everything that you’ll need to survive the winter.

Have the Chimney Cleaned
To also prevent fires, hire a professional to clean the chimney. In wood-burning fireplaces, creosote builds up in the chimney and can catch on fire. Even with gas logs, critters can turn any chimney into a summer home. Have the pro inspect the firebox, liners, flue, smoke chamber, and exterior for damage.
Also, have the clothes dryer exhaust checked and cleaned. Lint can build up and is flammable.

Change Filters
It’s best to check heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) filters each month and replace as necessary, it’s ideal to restart the cycle in October. Before you fire up the heater or furnace, ensure you have plenty of clean air in the system.
If it hasn’t been serviced by a pro lately, now is the best time to ensure it will work properly before it’s needed through the cold months.

Cover the Water Spigots
Spigots are outdoor water faucets. Disconnect hoses from spigots. Purchase inexpensive covers and attach them to spigots before the first freeze of the year.
Spigots are exposed to the freezing air. The cover traps heat and helps keep the spigot from freezing, expanding and possibly bursting.

Prepare the Gutters
If your house doesn’t have gutters, consider installing them. They help avoid costly foundation problems. Gutters need to be maintained. Maintenance includes either preventing leaves from accumulating in the gutters or cleaning the leaves from the gutters and downspout. Even if you do have preventative covers, it’s still best to run a household auger or power jet of water through the downspout to ensure no critters have built summer homes in there.

Trim Tree Branches
Trees have had all summer to make branches longer and heavier. When ice accumulates on the branches, they may break. If it falls onto a roof or power line, it can cause major damage. Trim back trees to ensure your home is ice-storm safe from falling branches.

Turn off Water Sprinklers
Once the lawn has gone dormant for the winter or before the first freeze, turn off the sprinkler. This keeps pipes and heads from bursting as well as keeps water from freezing on sidewalks, drives and alleys.

Prepare the Lawn
Trim, rake and fertilize the lawn with a winter mix to ensure roots survive winter to grow green in spring. Use a southern 3-in-1 combination fertilizer to feed while it ensures insects and weeds are controlled.

Check for Drafts
A sealed home prevents intrusions from the environment (insects and temperature variations). Caulk and weather stripping go a long way to help with gaps around windows and doors. An inexpensive infrared thermometer (temperature gun) lets you know temperature changes and indicates needed repairs. Check all the electrical outlets and switch plates because they probably need better insulation.

Fix Driveway Cracks
A little caulk now prevents major problems later. Use gray concrete repair caulk with silicone. It fills gaps to prevent water from entering and expanding when frozen, which causes more damage with each freeze.

Circle leaves to indicate if good or needs repair.