The extremely hot weather this year has created a rare season of high winds and rainfall so early on in the year. Many homeowners were probably going to stay protecting their home from the fall, in about a month or so. However, because of the conditions, you may have to commit to this job sooner than expected.
But, that’s no worry at all as there are some easy things you can do right now.
Clear the gutters
Prepare for more rainfall than was previously estimated.
Some weather outlets are saying that there will be more rainfall this year because of the warmer weather that is leading into the fall. This will mean you need to clear out your gutters. Any leaves, debris, bird poop, or moss needs to be scraped out to the gutters. You can do this by hand or you can hire professionals to do it for you.
They have special solutions which clean and coat gutters. The first thing they do is use a solution to dislodge tough bits in the gutters which only dislodge when there is a heavy downfall.
This can then cause problems by blocking the gutters. But most professional gutter cleaning services will also use a lubricating solution for the PVC plastic, so water and debris don’t stick so easily.
Insulate the unseen
Did you know that the home loses most of its energy via the loft?
This is a space that is often too large to have traditional insulation put into it. You cannot put foam pieces into the loft as it would mean you can never open the door again.
However, if you were to insulate the crawl space like this, using spray foam, then you can add the same type of insulation as most of the home has. The spray foam is layered onto the ceiling of the crawl space, which is quite ingenious.
The foam weighs next to nothing but it creates bubbles of air that then merge the foam together and push the heat back into your home with ease. It’s lightweight, won’t pose a danger to your home’s structure and can always be added to if it needs fixing.
If a piece of foam has broken off somehow, just adding a new layer of foam to it will fix it.
Fill in the cracks
If you have a concrete driveway that has cracks in the slabs, it’s a good time to get this fixed while there are still some hot days left.
The cracks indicate that the air in the concrete has finally pushed through or has been let out from years of use. Now that the air has gone the concrete might lose some of its flex and become too brittle. This can lead to further cracks and sunken slabs may be the end result.
Thus you should fill in the cracks with fresh concrete. You can do this at home for cheap, by using a 1 portion concrete to 5 portions of sand mixture. Alternatively, if the cracks are too deep, you may need to replace the slab itself. Calling in the professionals is a good idea, and saves you any crushed toes!
A warmer interior
The secret to a warm home in the fall is that lots of little things add up to achieve a bigger goal. Here are some ace tips to help you keep the heat in and not have to change a lot of your interior.
- Place towels or cloths at your window sills. They should be made out of wool or cotton, to avoid synthetics. They will literally, push the heat back into your home as windows, is where we lose most of it
- Change your welcome mats for woollen rugs or mats. You can even place bathroom rugs at the entrances of your home. The little gap underneath the doors will be blocked and the heat trapped.
- Buying an area rug for large open rooms is definitely something to consider. An area rug can trap so much warmth and slowly release it, making it a staple for any home during the colder months.
Check for drafts
If you can find a feather in your garden or perhaps just use a few threads of your own hair, stick them up next to doors, windows, and anywhere else there could be a draft, such as a ventilation fan. If it moves this is where you need to plug the draft.
Prepare for wind and rain this coming fall. The hot weather we’re enjoying now will prolong further but it will also cause some difficulties.
