With the GrainHome Improvement Tips and Tricks

In some parts of the country, fall weather means a lot of planning and preparations for the upcoming winter season.  Here are some suggestions for fall home improvements:

1. Perform an energy audit on your home by calling your electric company or heating fuel delivery service.
2. Have your furnace serviced, including all the yearly maintenance checks and filter changes or cleaning.
3. Be sure your thermostat is running efficiently and, while you’re at it, check the batteries and efficiency of all your smoke detectors.
4. Check for cracks and holes in your foundation and walls to ensure pests, air, and water doesn’t invade your home.
5. Clean out and repair your gutters or, if you don’t have gutters, consider installing some before cold weather hits.

These are just some of the things you can do during the fall season to improve your home’s efficiency and maintain your home’s value.  Be sure to hire a contractor or technician before attempting a DIY project you are unsure of.

For those who have lived all of their lives with properties containing a septic system, maintaining them is part of their regular routine. However, for those who have lived in areas where the town supplies lines to residents, this is not common knowledge.  Here are some links to explore covering information regarding septic tank maintenance:

• Septic Cleaning Guide for Septic System Maintenance
• Septic Systems and Their Maintenance
• Septic Systems A to Z Maintenance
• Septic Tank Maintenance and Care
• Septic Tank Maintenance Information, to Prevent Backups and Overflow

No one really likes thinking about this issue, but is important to do so.  Otherwise, if maintaining your septic system is not part of your regular routine, then you may face some very expensive service calls (and smelly ones, at that) in the future.  Prevent this from happening with proper maintenance.