I know you don’t want to hear it, but fall is coming. In Colorado, you’ll need to be prepared for the fall weather as it becomes more unpredictable year-to-year. Fall in our area can bring with it temperatures reaching summer heights and snows later in the season, so you should start preparing your home for this onslaught as soon as you can. 

Here are a few tasks you should do before summer ends to prepare.

Fix Cracks in Concrete and Asphalt

This is particularly important for your foundation, but take a look at any other concrete areas around your home and take some time to fill those in. Chances are you’ll have some opportunities to do this during the early weeks of autumn, but it’s best to take care of it while the weather is still warm and relatively dry. Cracks in your foundation can lead to leaks and more dangerous problems that can affect your entire house over time. 

Clean Your Gutters

I get it. No one likes this task. It’s dirty, it can be dangerous, and it’s tedious. However, clogged gutters can cause more issues than simply being unpleasant to look at. When the winter and late fall snows come, it will have a harder time melting off your roof if your gutters are clogged. Water sitting on your roof can lead to leaks and worse if not dealt with quickly. Your gutters are essentially your first line of defense against snowdrifts building up on your roof and causing damage as they melt. 

Start a Compost Bin

An optional task, but if you’re a gardener, you can make excellent mulch with the dead leaves that blanket your yard every fall. Get your compost bed started now so that it can break down as many pounds of leaves as possible when you start raking your outdoor areas. 

Check for Drafts

In late summer and early fall, it’s not too early to start checking for any less-than airtight areas around your home. When you have to start turning the heat on, your house will already be prepared to keep that precious warm air inside the house. Drafts are a sign of cracks or gaps in your home’s exterior, and it’s best to identify these and fill them before the winds of winter start to blow through them. 

Winterize Your Air Conditioning

This task is easy to overlook because as the weather cools off, it’s easy to simply turn your central air-cooling unit off and forget about it. If your AC is an outdoor unit, however, it’s a good idea to cover it for the fall and winter, so there’s little chance of it being damaged before summer starts again and you need it. Remove your window AC units or cover them to prevent air from leaking through the windows. 

These projects should get you started on your fall and winter preparation. For more tips on preparing for the end of summer, contact us at Ireland’s Finest Painters.