Every fall in Kentucky, we can expect certain things to happen. The temperatures will drop, the trees will put on their stunning autumn foliage, and Kentucky homeowners will go through the process of getting their homes ready for the changing seasons. This year, Gilkey Windows & Exterior Solutions is here to help you with that process with a 5-point checklist to get your Kentucky home ready for when fall fully sets in, from cleaning out those rain gutters to plugging updrafts so that you can stay comfortable all year round.
Fall Ready Check List
1. Clean Out Your Rain Gutters
As a Kentucky homeowner, it’s probably not the first time you’ve heard that you need to clean out your rain gutters before winter, but this is such a key piece of exterior home maintenance that it bears repeating. Before freezing weather, you want to clean the entire rain gutter system – including downspouts – of any debris that fell in during the summer. This prevents ice dams or pest infestations in the fall and winter. Of course, homeowners with rain gutters with a clog-free, leaf-guard system don’t have to worry about this annual chore as their rain gutters are already protected from the accumulation of detritus and the potential hazards that come with clogged gutters.
2. Plug-Up Drafts
When cold weather comes, it’ll find a way to creep in through any crack or crevasse available. So, before the temperatures drop, track down and plug up any drafts in your home. Commonly, drafts come from gaps under doors or around door frames or from cracks in windows or the window frame. It can also benefit your wintertime energy costs to upgrade any single-pane windows to double-pane windows with better insulation.
3. Clear Out Around Your Home
Not only do you want to check the structure of your home itself, but you also want to check and clear out the area around your home. Bring in any outdoor furniture that isn’t 4-seasons approved, and remove any dead or damaged trees in the vicinity of your home that might come down in a winter storm.
4. See to Any Water Features
Fall is the time to attend to outdoor water features around your home before freezing temperatures can cause damage. This can range from blowing out the sprinkler system to winterizing water fountains to storing away bird baths.
5. Complete Upgrades
While summer is a great time to get household projects done, it’s also a great time to procrastinate a little to enjoy time with friends and family over the summer holiday. But with fall approaching, now is the time to finalize and finish up any upgrades you’re making to your home, be that installing a new front door for heightened security, upgrading to new windows for better energy efficiency, fixing siding around your home, or installing new. Now is the time to get your home winter-ready so that you’re not left in the cold when the weather changes.
Contact Us
Make sure you’re ready when autumn sets in by following our 5-point checklist! For any upgrades, updates, or new products you need to get your home fall-ready, reach out to Gilkey Windows & Exterior Solutions. Located near Lexington, Kentucky, Gilkey Windows & Exterior Solutions serves the window, door, siding, and rain gutter needs of households across central Kentucky. Request a consultation today!
