Bill's Real Estate Blog - News to Use!

State Farm Insurance offers us some great tips for home preparation for fall.  By taking the time to do some simple preventative things, now you could save yourself a lot of headaches and expense later:

Check all window and door locks to be sure they operate properly.  All exterior doors should have deadbolt locks.

Make sure there are working nightlights at the top and bottom of all stairs.  Be sure to remove any items cluttering the stairs.

Have a heating professional check your heating system every year.

Install or test your carbon monoxide monitors.  Replace the batteries.

The ending of daylight savings time is always a good time to replace smoke alarm batteries.  If you missed doing that a couple weeks ago, take some time and do it now.

Replace your furnace filter.  Be sure that the furnace area is unobstructed.

Remove the gas from gas-powered lawn equipment by simply running the equipment until the fuel tank is empty. Not only is this a good safety tip, but the condensation that builds up over the winter could cause damage to your equipment.

Remove bird nest from chimney flues and outdoor electrical fixtures.

Have a certified chimney sweep inspect and/or clean the fireplace flue and check the damper for proper operation.

Make sure the caulking around the windows and doors is adequate to reduce heat loss.

Check the caulking around bathroom fixtures (toilet, bath tub, cabinets) to be sure it's adequate to prevent water from seeping into the sub-flooring.  This can be costly to repair if left unresolved.