If you’ve rented up until 2020 and purchased a home that year, you’re in good company – about 2.38 million Americans became first-time homebuyers in 2020, according to the Homelight Summer/Fall Insights Report.
That’s a lot of people learning about home maintenance this past year, and one of the best seasons in which to start really digging into home maintenance tasks is Autumn. With enough warmth to have plenty of professionals available for work but enough of a cool-down that the work isn’t miserably warm, this is a great time to either get out there yourself for some DIY cleaning and fixing or to hire the right professional to keep your house in tip-top shape.
Handle Wood Damage
If you’ve noticed in the months since buying your new home that there is damage to any part of the structure of the home, that’s a really important issue to address. From siding to porches to window casing, this should really be a priority, not just for the aesthetic concerns, but also for the potential for water to seep in through small cracks.
Water damage inside can impact your home’s interior woodwork, walls, and even plumbing and electrical systems… that kind of fix is not cheap! Cut off the damage at the entrance by keeping that exterior structure pristine and fixing it quickly if there is damage from things like falling tree branches.
Make the Roof and Siding Strong And Beautiful
Your roof is in the same boat as the wood structure of your home: even a few missing shingles weakens its overall integrity. Do an assessment visually of how your roof is faring, especially if you have strong wind or storms that come through occasionally. Have a roofer come and do some fixes, or (if you know from the inspection last year that the roof is rather old) consider scheduling a roof replacement. When you start over with a new roof, you can be part of keeping the roof strong for many years by doing periodic maintenance and shingle replacement.
Siding-wise, in addition to looking for needed repairs, keep it looking its best with a power washer. Mildew and dirt may seem cosmetic, but they get harder to remove the longer they bake onto the side of your home. An autumnal rinse-off can keep the whole house looking great and make it easier to wash in the future as well.
Landscape for Future Plant Growth and Strong Drainage
When you work on your yard this fall, keep in mind the need to route water away from the foundation. Don’t let leaves pile up and clump near the house, since pooled water is more likely to seep into micro-cracks in the foundation. Make sure that the natural grade of the property also slopes away from your house whenever possible. Lastly, use mulch to keep as many of your perennials alive till Spring as possible – this has the added benefit of reducing weeds when it does become Springtime again!
New homeowners can start their journeys off right by keeping their homes well maintained and using preventative measures to keep everything dry and safe. If you bought your home as a fixer upper with code violations, this is a great time to fix it up nicely. You’re on an exciting adventure of homeownership!
A professional writer with over a decade of incessant writing skills. Her topics of interest and expertise range from health, nutrition and psychology.
