Rental Living: Preparing for Fall
With fall right around the corner, it is important to begin thinking about the cold weather approaching and how it will affect your household. If you own your own home, obviously you will be responsible for repairing all the issues, or hiring someone to fix them for you. For renters, the list is a bit simpler but still very important to accomplish before winter hits. Follow along as we show you ways to prepare your rental home for Fall.
Test Furnace / Heater
Right now it may be too warm out still to use your furnace or heater(s). However, you want to make sure that you take the time to turn them on and make sure they are working properly. Be sure to turn any heaters or your furnace on long enough so you can tell if they will produce adequate heat. If your rental home has a furnace, be sure to pay special attention to whether or not this is working properly. If it is not, you want to make sure you contact your landlord right away to make sure there is time to get all issues resolved before the cold weather hits.
It is also important to remember to change your furnace filter, as this could mean the difference between receiving warm/cold air or just getting a fan. Make sure you know how to change your filter and if you have any questions about replacement filter size or how to change it, be sure to contact your landlord right away.
Check Doors and Windows
Doors and windows serve as our conduit to viewing the beauty the outside world has to offer. Sometimes though, they are the conduit that allows the extremes of the outside world into our home. Warm and cold air alike can escape and enter your home through cracks in or around doors or windows. Before fall, you should make sure you check each and every window and door in your home for air leaks. From the inside of your home your can feel the warm air entering (or cold if it is already winter), and from the outside of your home you can feel your cold air (or warm air if winter) leaving the home. Make note of what needs to be repaired or prepared by and what would need to be completed by your landlord. Don’t waste time, report any large issues directly to your landlord to ensure there is adequate time to have the issues repaired before facing unwanted weather conditions.
Check for Water Issues / Leaks
Water issues can cause a lot of problems when winter hits. From frozen pipes to damaged items due to leaks, when water freezes in your plumbing or around it, it can cause tons of headaches. Be sure to check all of the water faucets inside and outside of your home for leaks or needed repairs. The worst time to find these issues is when it is already frozen and nearly impossible to repair. So report all issues to your landlord, as stated above, to ensure there is enough time to get the repairs done by winter.
Watch Gutters for Backup
Gutters may not seem like that big of a deal, but if winter hits and there is snow and ice on your roof and all of it melts into a stopped up gutter, you may find your home looking like a deep deep cave with icicles hanging from all around your gutters. The added weight of ice and snow in your gutters can also cause a lot of issues. So take time during the end of summer and fall to watch your gutters for any signs that water may be backing up. If you notice spilling over the edge of your gutters, this is a good indicator something needs unclogged. Contact your landlord and report any issues.
Smoke Detectors
Now, this isn’t only a “do in Fall” kind of activity. It is important to ensure your smoke detectors are working properly very often as they could mean the difference between life and death. However, if you make a routine to test your smoke detectors and to replace the batteries in them during this time, you can ensure that any heaters or other things that may catch fire do not become a real problem. Keep your family safe and make to always check your smoke detectors.
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