Fall Plumbing and Home Maintenance Tips

The beginning of September brings a lot of good things to Minnesota—State Fair corn dogs and cheese curds, cooler temperatures (if we’re lucky!), breezy nighttime walks—but it also forces us to grudgingly accept that fall is here again, and winter will be coming not soon after. As most homeowners know, with every shift in season comes a bundle of home maintenance and repair work. If the last few weeks are any indication it’s probably going to be balmy out for a while to come yet, but don’t let the warm weather stop you from preparing for autumn’s approach right now.

In order to help you prepare for the dropping temperatures and changing weather patterns we’ve made up a handy checklist to remind you of all the plumbing and home maintenance tasks you’d probably like to forget. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, we promise you’ll thank us later.

-To prevent pipes from freezing and bursting, make sure all areas around pipes are well insulated. Check out our previous blog about this topic. Preventing Frozen Pipes

-Make sure you know how to shut off your main water valve in case of a pipe emergency. Again, check out our previous post on this topic (we are just a wealth of information, aren’t we?) Water Shut-Off Valve

-Prepare for the possibility of extra rainfall and increased chance of flooding that comes with any change in season by making sure your home sump pump is running smoothly, and knowing what to do if it isn’t. Hmm, I wonder if we’ve written about this before…(last time, we swear)…Things to Know About Your Sump Pump

-Autumn is the most important time to keep up with gutter cleaning and repair. Those falling leaves are pretty; but the wood rot, pest infestations, and ruined gutters they can lead to sure aren’t. Take advantage of the warmer weather and get your gutter maintenance taken care of now in case any lengthy repairs are needed.

-Check the drainage systems in your home to make sure no water is pooling up or leaking. Common problem areas include basements, attics, and (since you’re already up there) gutters.

-This one will come a little later in the fall, but make sure you remember to shut off the water supply to any outdoor spigots and call a professional company to shut off your underground sprinkler system if necessary.

Stick around and keep checking the Nowthen site for additional tips. Chances are we’ll probably write another post (or three…) related to this topic in the near future.