Whether you have sellers who need to keep their homes shipshape for showings or you just wish to stay in touch with former and potential clients, passing along seasonal home maintenance tips is a helpful and thoughtful thing to do. Reminding clients about necessary home maintenance tasks can help them avoid possible problems and shows you care about them and their property. Here are some fall maintenance tips to share:
Keep leaves raked
In addition to helping a yard look better, removing leaves can help turf stay healthy. That’s because thick layers of leaves can block grass from absorbing the light, air, and nutrients needed to thrive. When leaves sit on the grass, lawns can also develop diseases and conditions that attract pests.
Clean gutters
Falling leaves and other debris can block gutters and potentially lead to leaks, paint damage, wood rot, holes, and other damage. When gutters are clean, water can flow and drain properly away from the structure.
Trim trees
Fall is often the best time to trim many tree species, and removing dead branches helps prevent potential damage and injuries during stormy or icy weather. Pruning and periodic trimming can help trees stay healthy and may promote better blooming in flowering varieties.
Check heating systems
Keeping the heating system in good shape helps it run efficiently during cold weather and may help avoid problems and even breakdowns. Change air filters according to manufacturer directions and schedule an inspection by a qualified contractor.
Get the fireplace and chimney ready
Schedule a time to have the chimney cleaned and inspected for fire safety. Check around the fireplace and chimney for loose bricks or missing mortar and make any necessary repairs.
Inspect smoke detectors
Check all smoke alarms by pressing the test button to make sure they are working in case of emergency, and take the opportunity to change out the batteries. If the home doesn’t already have them, consider installing carbon monoxide detectors, too.
Tackle the lawn and landscaping
Clean debris from flower beds and remove annual plants that won’t thrive during winter. Cut back perennials and mulch around the plants to help protect them during frost. Plant any bulbs before the ground is frozen. Apply fall fertilizer and weed pre-emergent prevention to your lawn, depending on your turf type.
Add American Home Shield® home warranty protection
This valuable coverage can help keep your clients’ homes up and running and their budgets on track. With an annual renewable service contract, an American Home Shield home warranty provides protection and peace of mind by offering a safeguard when certain essential household systems and appliances break, including heating equipment. Coverage can help cut the high costs to repair or replace protected home systems and appliances and give your clients a reliable repair resource to call when inevitable, covered breakdowns occur. Tell clients to contact you for more information about the many advantages of American Home Shield home warranties, or direct them to ahs.com to find out more.