Calling all Homeowners – Fall is in the Air

Get your pumpkin spice and scarves ready. Fall is just around the corner. You are probably ready for cooler temperatures and a change of season, but is your home? Changes in season require you to prepare your home in different ways. Fall can have different types of weather throughout the entire season. Here are a few things that you can do to prepare your home.

Clean Out Your Gutters

With fall, there are leaves constantly falling. It is important to assure that there are no clogs in your gutters. Clogs can be cause for water not to drain properly and could cause damage to your roof and/or cause damage to your foundation if the water is running straight down the side of your home.

Get Your Chimney Swept

It is best to have your chimney swept during the seasons that you are not using it. With being in Tennessee, it is hard to make time with the fluctuations of temperature. Early fall is a great time to have your chimney swept. You never know what kind of blockages could have occurred since you last used it during the winter. Even within a year, animals could have been nesting or natural buildup could have taken place causing your fireplace to be unsafe to use.

Get Your HVAC Ready for Heating

Turning your heat on for the first time can be somewhat nerve racking. There can be a slight smell that accompanies the heat being turned on for the first time, but you need to be prepared for what steps you can do to assure that it is just a smell and not a fire.

Checking your filters and cleaning the area around your HVAC are great preventive measures to take to assure that everything goes smoothly while transitioning to heat for the first time in a few months.

Avoiding Homeowners Insurance Claims

By following these suggestions, you may be able to avoid damages that could result in a large homeowners insurance claim. For more information on protecting your property, get in touch with the team at Farmers Mutual of Tennessee.  Since 1913, they have provided quality insurance coverage at an affordable price to residents throughout the state of Tennessee.  Their local independent agent will be happy to help you find the right coverage for your home, mobile home, rental dwelling, or farm at a price that suits your budget. Give Farmers Mutual of Tennessee a call today at (800) 824-9555, and visit them online for more information.

Do You Need A New Roof?

One of the questions I get asked most often on the radio is “How do I know if I need a new roof?”  Here’s a quick top-ten list of things to look for on an asphalt shingled roof:

1. Water spots on interior surfaces.
2. Shingle wear or missing shingles.
3. Raised shingles.
4. Loose flashing.
5. Inadequate ventilation.
6. No drip edge.
7. Multiple roof layers.
8. No fireplace cricket.
9. Wavy deck surface.
10. Mold or mildew.

Let’s break it down.

If you have any of these top-ten issues, it’s time for a new roof.  Here are steps and questions to ask so ‘you don’t let do it yourself, become do it to yourself!’

1. Reach out to the professionals you know for recommendations.
2. Ask friends and neighbors for recommendations.
3. Ask for warranty options in writing.
4. Know who stands behind the warranty.
5. Never put good over bad. Remove all roof layers to the deck and start from scratch.
6. Ask for synthetic deck underlayment.
7. Ask for a complete system from one company to validate warranty.

In the next article, we will discuss metal roofing!

Rick Allen is the host of Rick’s House Home Improvement Show which is heard each Saturday morning 8-10AM on Talk Radio 92.3FM / AM760. This article is provided by Rick’s House Home Improvement Show with expert input by East Tennessee Exteriors, a Diaz Company.