Falling Behind on Fall Projects?

Fall is a favorite month of mine.  It is a beautiful season and the weather is cooler.

One of the reasons we chose the Prescott area to live, was the four (4) seasons to observe and enjoy.  Yes, Fall will get cooler, leaves change colors, there may be snow in Winter, then comes sweet sunny Spring and hot Summers.

But back to Fall.  It is a great month to enjoy the outdoors and while you are outside take a good look around the house and yard for some projects to complete before winter hits.

In Arizona, we do not observe the changing of the clocks.  We only observe the changing of the seasons.

Here are 10 great tips:

1. Check the gutters to see if they are working properly and clean out and repair if necessary.
2. Check for dead trees, branches and bushes.  Specifically, around the house.  Now is the best time right before the leaves start to fall.
3. Check your smoke and carbon dioxide detectors, replace batteries if necessary.
4. Clean and inspect your chimney for safety
5. Service your furnace and air conditioning units
6. Drain your evaparative cooler and any outdoor faucets, check your in ground sprinklers and depending on the system perhaps have the pipes blown out.
7. Inspect all doors and windows for leaks and repair or replace weather stripping
8. Clean and inspect decking for splintering and insects.  Treat, paint and restore if required.
9. Bring in all seasonal tools and properly care for them and store for next season.  Spraying some of your tools with a coating of lightweight oil may prevent rust.
10. Switch your ceiling fans to the reverse or clockwise position, which will blow warm air down to the floor for enhanced energy efficiency and comfort.

In Northern Arizona our fall to-do list is much shorter than if we lived in a colder climate.  The snow levels are low and snow does not remain on the ground very long in most areas.

10-year snowfall averages in Prescott, 2010 to 2019

…..while the weather is cooler it is also a great time to do some home improvements/renovation projects!

1. Paint your front door.
   2. Power clean your house.
   3. Paint the exterior. Best times according to the professionals-early fall and early spring.
   4. Pick out some fresh interior colors for one or more rooms in your home.
   5. Clean carpets.
   6. Lawn and garden care.  Raking the leaves (jumping in them too!) and another layer of mulch will protect your plants in colder weather.
   7. Repair driveway, sidewalks, patios. Cracked cement and deteriorating asphalt is unsightly but could get worse in colder weather.
   8. Planning for those holiday lights? Best when weather is not as cold.
   9. Planning for those holiday feasts may require you taking a good look at your appliances,
   10. Getting some professional cleaners to do their thing will allow you important time to plan and prepare for the Holidays

 Prepare for weather and power outages that could happen in any season, even in Arizona. Putting together a Survival kit makes good sense.

1.  Stock up on bottled water
   2.   First aid kit
   3.   Food
   4.   smart phone charger
   5.   flashlights, candles and matches
   6.   batteries
   7.   toiletries
   8.   camp stove and fuel
   9.   tools such as a a utility knife
   10.  blankets, extra clothing
   11.  cash
   12.  contact information (written) remember there might not be internet!
   13.  Games-cards, kids games to keep them busy
   14.  Don’t forget the fur kids-pack some pet supplies
   15.  Radio (battery operated) don’t forget the batteries
   16.  All the above should fit in a storage container and placed in the corner of a garage or in a closet.

You and your home are prepared for all seasons!

About the author: The above Real Estate information was provided by Cynthia Yannitelli, of the Yannitelli Group at Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate, BloomTree Realty.  Cynthia has managed real estate brokerages and trained real estate agents for over 20 years and started her real estate career over 30 years ago.  The Yannitelli Group is Cynthia and her sons, Neil and Nicholas, in a family-owned real estate group enjoying what they do and working with each other.  Cynthia and the Yannitelli Group can be reached via email at yannitelligroup@gmail.com or by phone at 928-251-0025 or TEXT 928-848-3400.

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