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Five Home Maintenance Tips for Fall

Written by Posted On Wednesday, 30 October 2019 15:25

Darkness falls across the land. The witching hour is close at hand. And costumed kids on every street go door-to-door in search of treats. But if you don’t keep up with your home maintenance, Halloween might not be the only spooky thing to come your way this fall. As the days grow dark and dreary and our thoughts turn to ghosts and ghouls, the mundane can quickly become the macabre and the sounds, smells and sensations of a home in need of maintenance can take on dark and sinister undertones.

When things go bump in the night...

 

According to research from property maintenance experts Aspect, the changing of the seasons is often associated with spooky things going bump, bang and gurgle in the night. Of course, the result is invariably the result of simple maintenance issues rather than the supernatural… but try telling that to your hippocampus at 2am on a pitch black windy morning. 

 

As cooling timber contracts, the smell of damp sets in and draughts make their ghostly way through your home it’s enough to give even the most pragmatic homeowner the heebie jeebies! 

 

But as Aspect’s Director of Operations Nick Bizley states; 

 

“... The nights are drawing in and the weather’s getting colder. This can highlight certain problems around the home, especially as households start using their heating more frequently. And when you add the unsettling tapping, knocking and creaking sounds, cold spots and strange smells, it’s no wonder a lot of people are complaining of ‘spooky’ phenomena making them unsettled.”

 

However, most of the things that can make a home feel like this can be explained quite rationally and fixed if necessary”.

 

With that in mind, spare yourself the scares with these 5 essential fall home maintenance tips…

 

1- Protect your home from cold spots

 

No, those icy tendrils at the nape at your neck aren’t caused by a restless phantom. They’re simply draughts or the result of neglected radiators. If your home feels colder than it should, even with the boiler working overtime, it could be that your radiators need to be bled. Over time, pockets of air can get trapped in your radiators and prevent the hot water from moving around in them properly. Bleeding radiators eliminates this for a toasty warm home.

 

This should be done at least once a year and the fall season is as good a time as any. Not only will this help eliminate cold spots it will also help you save on your heating bills all year round. 




2- Give your drainage the once over

 

What could that unholy smell be? It’s not something gone bad in your refrigerator. Nor is it an unwelcome present left in the kitchen by the cat. Fearsome smells in the home are often a sign of blocked drains. Make sure that your kitchen drains and waste disposal are clear of rotting food. A handful of ice cubes and some citrus peel in your waste disposal will help to give a cleaner, fresher smell, too. Now might also be a good idea to make sure your gutters and downpipes are free of decomposing funky fall leaves.

 

3- Check your water pressure

 

Hearing banging noises in the night? It’s probably your pipes. When your water pressure is too high it can cause movement of the pipes, making them bang against the fixings. At night, when things are quiet and still this sound can seem much louder and scarier. Get in touch with a plumber who can find the block or pipe issue that’s causing the unnecessary buildup in water pressure.

 

4- Seal up cracks and gaps

 

Cracks and gaps pose two problems for your home. Firstly, unsettling breezes making the place feel colder than it should be. And secondly, pests. As the temperatures drop, little furry critters love creeping into your home through cracks in your walls and gaps under your doors. 

 

Seal up even small cracks in your walls- you’d be astonished at the tiny gaps they can fit through. If you can fit a pencil through it, a mouse can get through it. Wire-wool, bonded with silicone, makes a fairly reliable rodent-proof barrier.

 

It might also be a good idea to fit draught excluders under doors where there’s excessive clearance above the floor.

5- Have an expert investigate your electrics

 

For decades, horror movies have conditioned us to believe that flickering lights and sparking wall sockets are clear-cut signs of a haunting. The reality, however, is that added moisture in the air could be exacerbating existing wiring issues. While these aren’t necessarily a sign of anything super-serious, we would always recommend getting a qualified electrician to take a look at your electrics. 

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Curt S Pearson

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