As I cleaned my gutters this weekend, I was thinking about the importance of maintenance and how it relates to the value of a home. I know that may seem weird to many, but from my vantage point, a well maintained home retains it value and ultimately shows better than one that has not been well maintained.
So whether you do it yourself or hire someone, here are my suggestions for fall maintenance that will save you money over the long term regardless of if you are selling your home or not.
- Clean the gutters and roof valleys. Valleys and gutters full of leaves and debris will not drain and the water will find an alternative route. That is never a good thing.
- Have your heating system checked before you need it to work. Remember it has been sitting dormant for five months. Spending a couple of hundred dollars on a check up and new filters is sensible.
- Winterize your irrigation system. Trust me, the alternative is an unwanted water feature in your yard next spring.
- Find that snow shovel and ice scraper for the car. Post-holing to the car in your slippers to scrape the windshield with your credit card is not a great start to the day. You know who you are.
If you made it to number four you are ahead of the curve!
