Home Maintenance Tasks To Complete Before Winter

 The fall brings cooler weather, shorter days, and many fun holidays to celebrate. Before the weather gets too cold and dreary, take care of some essential home maintenance. Here is a list, from the professionals, on what to take on.

1. Inspect and Clean Gutters and Downspouts

During the fall the leaves change colors and then start to fall to the ground. This means that your gutters can easily become clogged with the falling leaves. Clogged gutters will cause water buildup and damage to your house’s foundation. You want to make sure to clean out all of the debris from your gutters and downspouts this fall.

2. Check the Roof

You do not have to take a ladder and climb up on your roof to inspect it. You can do a visual inspection and look for any loose or damaged shingles. Repairing the loose or damaged shingles will prevent your roof from leaking and water damage.

3. Seal Windows and Doors

The winter time is a time when it is both cold and windy. A home with cool drafts coming through cracks is not good for your comfort or your heating bill. This fall inspect the seals that are around all of your windows and doors. If the sealant looks worn and is coming off, replace and repair it.

4. Service Your Heating System

Having your heating system fail during the cold winter months is not acceptable. Before the cold kicks in, have a professional come and inspect your heating system. They will fix any issues and also perform maintenance such as replacing filters.

5. Chimney and Fireplace Maintenance

This is a serious issue because it can start fires. Make sure that your chimney and flute are clean and in working order. If your chimney is blocked, this is when a fire can happen.

6. Test Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

The fall is a great time to test and replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. It is very important for these to work when the power goes out to keep your family safe.

7. Drain and Store Outdoor Hoses and Insulate Pipes

If the temperature drops below freezing, any water left in your hose will freeze and cause damage. Take your hoses in for the winter to extend their lifespan. You will also want to insulate any pipes that are exposed to the outdoor elements. These could freeze and burst and can cause a lot of damage.

8. Lawn Prep and Storage For Outdoor Furniture

You will want to trim back trees and any bushes that are close to your home. Any branches close to your home can cause damage during storms. It is also a good idea to clean and store your outdoor furniture. Doing this will extend your outdoor furniture’s lifespan.

Remember doing these tasks each fall will make a great difference in the safety and maintenance of your home. You want to stay proactive and not just reactive when it comes to taking care of your home during the cold winter season.

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2022 Roof Shingle Color Trends

 The top renovation to the exterior of a home in 2021 was the roof. This is still true in the 2022 home improvement market. Not only are there many options for shingles but also many colors to choose from. In fact, it is reported that the roof shingle color can boost your home's resale value. Before selecting the perfect color for your roof, here are some tips you should know.

Tones can be important when it comes to selecting the right color for your roof.

Neutral Tones

When you think of neutral, you sometimes think of boring but this is not the case. Neutral colors such as brown and gray can look amazing on a roof. There can be different subtle color variations. A great example is Timberline HDZ in Weathered Wood. This is currently one of GAF's most popular neutral shingles. The shingle has both dark and light brown towns which will go with a range of home styles and exterior paint colors. Neutral tones are very practical making them popular in 2022. Since they can go with many changes, they can bring a higher resale value. These shingle tones are versatile and classic in looks.

Bold Earth Tones

Earth tones have been popular on both the interior and exterior of homes from 2021 and still in 2022. Nature-inspired shingles such as the GAF architectural asphalt shingles are good examples. These shingles alternate in color which offers a dynamic variation with a pop of color adhering to a cohesive look. A neutral exterior is perfect for this type of shingle. It will give your home more contrast and pop your curb appeal.

Classic Black

You can never go wrong with the classic black shingle. These have become very popular in 2022 due to the ongoing desire for a modern farmhouse look and easy accessibility to solar shingles. There is nothing more classic than a white home with black trim and black shingles. This combination can fit on most any architectural style from a traditional home to a modern home. Now there is even a black solar shingle that gives your home the traditional roof look. These eco-friendly roofs are currently in high demand.

Remember your shingle color can either make or break your home's curb appeal. It not only can affect the curb appeal but can also affect your home's resale value. The right shingle paired with the right roof can make your home have a higher market value.

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Tips To Spruce Up A Home's Curb Appeal

 

When selling a home or purchasing a home one of the terms often used is curb appeal. The first impression of a home is the exterior and the home's landscaping. Keeping the exterior of your home and its surroundings updated and fresh sets your home apart from others on the street. Here are five exterior updates that can boost your home's curb appeal.

1. Show Your Style With Siding

Siding has become very popular, especially durable siding that has little upkeep. A new trend is using steel siding. Steel siding is strong and durable with a sustainable finish that offers tons of options to mix and match paint colors and other exterior materials.

“Using a combination of siding materials can help with the overall visual interest of a house,” says Mike Bouman, P.E., Vice President of Design and Engineering at Pioneer Construction in Grand Rapids, Michigan. “But make sure you look at how much maintenance your chosen material will need. Steel siding, for example, is really good in terms of durability and upkeep.”

“If you keep to one color for your siding, you may want to add interest by combining horizontal and vertical boards,” Bouman says. “Or, if you do introduce more than one siding material, try and use just two types or colors, and possibly either masonry or brick.”

2. Use Color to Add Personality

A house can look so much different with a new exterior color. Keep with your home's style when selecting colors for paint, siding, trim, shutters, doors and other exterior details.

If you want a contrasting look from your landscape, go with a dark tone on your exterior. This will make the greens of the landscaping pop.

“We’re seeing darker colors such as dark brown and dark wood tones as a trend,” Bouman says, “which is where real wood, or siding that looks like wood, can really come into its own.”

A more fresh and sleek look would be to use white on your exterior with black accents. “The combination of white siding, white trim and black-framed windows is still a clean look which people want,” Bouman says.

3. Choose Your Trim

Trim not only protects the edges of your home's roof, porch and other overhangs and windows but also gives the exterior a completed look. When choosing trim, make sure the style complements your home's architecture.

“We see homeowners choosing trims and siding in a similar color or the same color,” Bouman says.

4. Invest in Your Outdoor Space

Make sure your porch, patio and outdoor living spaces are all up to date. An outdated living space or bland yard does not give off good curb appeal. Adding evergreen plants, ornamental grass and flowering perennials adds ambiance and color to your yard.

Add a maintenance-free ceiling that is constructed of durable aluminum to your outdoor porch or covered patio. The ceilings come in many colors and even a wood finish.

“It really makes a difference,” Bouman says of the aluminum under-porch and soffit products offered by Quality Edge. “Whether it’s a solid color that looks painted or a wood finish, the style really makes it look authentic without the maintenance.”

5. Go for New Gutters

A home can have new trim, a new roof, new exterior painting and great landscaping but if the gutters are dingy your curb appeal is ruined. Not only do you want your gutters to look nice, but you also want to make sure they are intact and standing up to the outdoor elements correctly.

“Matching it with your home’s trim color means that the gutter doesn’t have to stand out,” Bouman says. “There are lots of different options to choose from, so choose one that works with the architecture of your home. If you’re going for a more historical look, for example, you might want to select a specific profile or material to suit that style of house.”

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