fall maintenance checklist for your carillon lakes home

Fall Maintenance Checklist for Your Carillon Lakes Home

Authored by: Petra Norris


Your Carillon Lakes home should be in great condition no matter what the season to maintain its resale value.

Here are some tips and a quick fall maintenance checklist to help you prepare your home for winter and avoid damages and costly repairs:

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● Check for drips.

Remove garden hoses from all outdoor faucets. Hoses left attached to the faucet can cause water to

back up in the faucets and pipes in your home’s walls and freeze once winter arrives. Frozen water

could cause your faucet or pipes to expand or crack. To avoid this damage, make sure to make this

item a priority in your fall maintenance checklist.


● Stow the mower.

If your mower sits for months with gas in the tank, the gas will gradually deteriorate and cause

damage to the internal engine parts of the mower. Adding fuel stabilizers to your gasoline, which

can be bought for $10 for a 10-ounce bottle, can prevent the gas in your mower from degrading and

keep it in good condition over the winter. Once you add the fuel stabilizer to your gas, make sure to

run the mower for 5 minutes to endure that the stabilizer reaches the carburetor.


● Put your sprinkler system to sleep.

Buried irrigation lines from the sprinkler system can also freeze during winter and cause damage to

pipes and sprinkler heads. Make sure to turn off the water at the main valve and shut off the

automatic controller of your sprinkler system. Open the drain valves to remove water from the

system and remove any above-ground sprinkler heads and shake the water out, then replace. You

can also hire an irrigation professional (worth $75-$150) to make sure the job is done right or if you

don’t have drain valves.


● Seal up cracks.

One of the most important fall maintenance jobs you can do for your home is to prevent moisture

from getting inside your walls. Get some tubes of exterior caulk in colors matching your the exterior

walls of your Carillon Lakes home.Seal up any cracks between the trim and siding, around door

frames and windows, and where wires and pipes enter your home. Make sure to do this on a day

when temperatures are above 50 degrees to ensure easy flow of the caulk.

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● De-clog your gutters.

Ice dams are caused by clogged rain gutters and this can be expensive to repair. Remove leaves,

twigs, and other debris. Replace any damaged or worn gutters and downspouts. Downspouts should

be extended at least five feet away from your home to prevent foundation problems. You can buy

downspout extensions for $10-$20 each.


● Check your heating system.

Hire a heating and cooling professional to check and tune up your heating system. This may cost

around $50-$100 for a check up. Get an annual maintenance contract to save 20% off the cost of a

single checkup visit. Change furnace filters. This should be done every 2 months. If your HVAC has a

built-in humidifier, make sure that the filter is replaced by the contractor.


● Prune plants, trees, and shrubs.

The best time to prune plants is late fall, when the growth cycle for summer is over. Keep branches

and limbs at least 3 feet from your Carillon Lakes home to prevent moisture from dripping onto the

roofing and siding. This also prevents damage to your exterior during strong winds.



● Check your fireplace

Make sure your fireplace is safe by checking if the damper opens and closes properly. Check for and remove any

obstructions in the flue like branches, leaves, or birds’ nests. Check the firebox for missing or cracked bricks and

mortar. If you discover damages, get a fireplace and chimney inspection, which costs $79-$500. A professional

chimney sweep will cost $150-$250.

Fall is the best time to prepare your home for winter. Follow this fall maintenance checklist to prevent damages and

expensive repairs on your Carillon Lakes home.

Call me, Petra Norris, at (863) 619-6918 or send me an email at [email protected] if you’re looking for a

Lakeland Florida real estate agent with superior local knowledge, experience, professionalism, integrity, and

personal service to help you sell or buy Carillon Lakes homes for sale.

http://www.servinglakelandfl.com/



Petra Norris Realtor®

Lakeland FL Homes for Sale

CDV TransAtlantic, Inc.

PO Box 92050, Lakeland, FL, 33804-2050

Office Phone: (863) 619-6918

Cell Phone: (863) 712-4207

fall maintenance checklist for your carillon lakes home

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